Nigel Farage predicts 'seismic shock' at next general election if Conservatives do not implement Brexit

Interim Ukip leader claims Brexit was 'first brick out of the establishment wall'

Nigel Farage is presented with a tray of Ferrero Rocher chocolates at an event to thank him for his contribution to Brexit, at The Ritz, London. (PA)

Nigel Farage has predicted a "seismic shock" at the next general election if Theresa May has not delivered Brexit by 2020.

Mr Farage said he suspected that the Conservative Government may turn out to be "not fit for the legacy of Brexit".

And he said he expected a "realignment" of politics which could involve old parties disappearing and being replaced with new ones reflecting the new public mood.

"Brexit was the first brick knocked out of the establishment wall," he said, before hailing Donald Trump's success in the US election and his own meeting with the President-elect.

The Ukip leader was speaking at a reception at London's Ritz hotel to celebrate his contribution to the battle to take Britain out of the EU.

He said he would be sticking around to take part in the battles to come.

Following Mr Trump's suggestion that he should be ambassador to Washington, Mr Farage was presented with a tray of Ferrero Rocher chocolates of the kind handed round at the ambassador's reception in the famous TV advert.

His speech was heralded by Leave.EU spokesman Andy Wigmore - who joined him at Trump Tower - with a call for attention from "Ladies, Gents, Lords and ... diplomats".

Mr Farage told the gathering: "We've got a problem. In America the revolution is total. Not only have the people spoken and won, but the old administration, Obama and all those ghastly people, are out and the Trump people are in.

"In this country, the people have spoken, but the same players have just been shuffled around the chess board and we are still being run by the career professional political class.

"I am not sure what is going to happen over the course of the next couple of years but I suspect there's another big seismic shock in British politics perhaps going to come at the next election.

"I suspect that the Conservative party is not fit for the legacy of Brexit. I suspect there is going to be a genuine realignment of British politics over the course of the next three or four years.

"It is unfinished business - the people have spoken but the establishment don't want to listen. There are great battles to be fought and I'm going to go on fighting those battles."

Press Association