• Ashby MP looks back fondly on the day the now Prime Minister visited the town

• Bridgen describes the 'many dark days' during Theresa May's leadership

• He believes Brexit is a 'game changer' for this country

• Says he is campaigning  to get Big Ben to chime at 11pm on 31st January to mark departure

North West Leicestershire MP Andrew Bridgen says day Boris Johnson visited Ashby to support Vote Leave in the East Midlands was one of the highlights of his Brexit campaign.

Bridgen was speaking to brexitcentral.com and reflecting on the past three and a half years with the United Kingdom set to leave the EU at the end of this month.

And he reflected on the now Prime Minister's visit to Ashby in 2016 before the referendum.

"I remember hearing the news that Boris Johnson had decided to back and campaign for Leave and my heart leaped," said the Ashby MP, who led the Vote Leave campaign in the East Midlands. 

"I remember thinking for the first time that we were in with a chance and could win this.

"On eve of poll, Boris visited me and my team in Ashby de la Zouch and on a hot mic I told him that Leave were going to win the referendum, although he didn't seem that confident.

"On a walk around Market Street with all the camera crews, he brought the town to a standstill, even the bus driver stopped and shouted "Boris for Prime Minster". He had to wait a while, but the electorate are always right."

Asked about his feelings on the night the referendum result became clear, Bridgen said: |First I was at the count at Coalville in my constituency until about midnight.

"The count had not completed, but it was clear that Leave had at least 60 per cent of the vote, and I headed off to London in my car, with the radio on listening to the results being announced.

"I knew we had won after the Newcastle and Middlesbrough results and what I had seen at my own count. I arrived in Westminster about 3.30am and started on the media round.

"By the time it was officially announced that Leave had won, the sun was up on Abingdon Green and I remember all the smiling eurosceptic MPs. I was feeling very happy, proud and suddenly very tired as the result sank in and the adrenaline I had been running on for days started to fade."

Asked if he thought Brexit would take this long to happen, the MP admitted: "No. In the immediate aftermath of the referendum result, everyone said that 'we have to accept the democratic result' – but that didn't last very long.

"What followed was a desperate three-and-a-half year battle for the heart and soul of the Conservative Party and the future of our country and our democracy.

"In many ways it was harder than the referendum and even more divisive, culminating in the General Election in 2019 I had predicted – but thank goodness once again, as at the 2016 referendum, the electorate got it right.

"There were many dark days, the worst probably being Theresa May's Chequers proposals. I knew from December 2017 that we would never get a meaningful Brexit through in that Parliament and a new leader and general election would be needed. 

"Brexit was a game changer and because those who were on the losing side – especially the Labour Party, Lib Dems and the BBC – have all failed to learn from their experience, the ripples will continue to be felt and the paradigm has shifted. 

"My vision is of parallel Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the EU and USA, to create the competitive atmosphere which makes a good deal with both of them much more likely and the deadline for sealing the deals by 31st December eminently achievable. 

"I am campaigning with many others to get Big Ben to chime at 11pm on 31st January to mark our departure and if, as I hope, we are successful, I intend to celebrate in Parliament Square that evening.

"On the 1st I want to be back in my constituency with the people who put me in Parliament and who overwhelmingly voted to Leave the EU.

"My first entry into politics was while I was running my own company, getting involved with the Business for Sterling and the "no" campaign to keep the UK out of the of the euro. My Euroscepticism really grew from there.

"My maiden speech in Parliament in 2010 was in the Europe debate where I said: "I love Europe, but I am not a supporter of economic union".

"I was always going to campaign to Leave, never seriously thinking the EU would offer sufficient reforms to persuade me otherwise – but I did worry they might offer enough to win the referendum for Remain.

"They certainly misjudged the mood of the UK people at that time and they have done so repeatedly, but they are not alone in that since so have many members of the political elite, establishment and media."

For the full interview, click the red button below