A WORCESTER-BASED MEP has spoken of his hostile ride returning to the European Parliament after Brexit.

James Carver was among the UKIP contingent which made international headlines returning to Brussels to face fellow European politicians yesterday.

In the chamber one fellow British MEP refused to shake his hand, while European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker lashed out at Nigel Farage, asking him: "Why are you here?"

But Mr Carver told the Worcester News that since returning to Brussels he's detected a growing appetite among MEPs from other member states to quit the bloc.

Fellow UKIP Worcestershire MEP Bill Etheridge has also described the atmosphere, saying to call it "hostile would be an understatement".

"I don't think any Christmas cards are going to be flying about, they were never going to roll out the red carpet for us," said Mr Carver.

"One MEP, who I will not name, refused to shake my hand despite the fact I got on very well with him beforehand.

"But what struck me was this sense of entitlement among the political class - many serious politicians were saying 'we've all got to respect the result', but others were baying for blood."

Mr Farage whipped up a storm inside the parliament by criticising some MEPs for never having held "real jobs", but Mr Carver said it was taken out of context.

"Nigel was responding to a whole load of people who got to speak before him," he said.

"You've got to look at the context to what other MEPs were saying, he was coming back at them and he didn't use any notes."

The city-based politician, who represents the entire West Midlands region in the parliament, also insisted other 'exits' are not inconceivable.

"They were never going to welcome us back in, but it was telling how we had MEPs from other groups and other nationalities saying 'well done, we're next," he said.

"There is an appetite for this in other member states, and that's what the EU is petrified of."

Mr Etheridge said: "Jean-Claude Juncker directly asked the UKIP MEPs why we are still here.

"The simple response is, we don't trust him to get the job done without our pressure."

During the first debate since the vote, Mr Juncker revealed he had banned all EU commissioners from speaking to the UK until it clarifies its position on Brexit.

"That's the last time you're applauding here," he said to Mr Farage during one exchange. "Why are you here?"

Mr Farage was booed as he took the podium to tell his fellow MEPs "the UK will not be the last to leave the EU", and accused EU leaders of being in denial about the appetite for more departures.

The debate led to a vote on a resolution calling for Britain to begin Brexit 'immediately' by invoking Article 50, which was backed by 395 hands to 200.

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