The man behind a last-minute protest in Reading has revealed what inspired them to gather outside Reading Minster on Friday night.

Mark Palmer, from Berkshire for Europe, managed to inspire the famous 'Stop Brexit' Steve Bray to visit the town to take part in the demonstration against Nigel Farage's appearance on BBC 4's Any Questions, which was being recorded in the historic church.

Speaking to The Chronicle, Mr Palmer revealed he managed to group together 30 people at short notice.

He said: "We learned of Mr Farage’s appearance in Any Questions less than 36 hours before the broadcast, but felt it was essential to make our voices heard. Social media were used to spread the news.

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"It is clear that Brexit is rapidly failing. The promised benefits are nowhere to be seen, while the list of problems grows longer every day. Brexit’s advocates offer denial, excuses and blame – they will never accept responsibility for their own abject failings. And the ultimate scapegoat will be the British electorate: is this really what “the Country” voted for?

"Farage played a major role in securing the wafer-thin Leave “victory” in 2016, but has left other people to sort out his inevitable mess. He has nothing to offer but hot air.

"Reading is a strongly Remain voting town with a vibrant, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic atmosphere – Farage's intolerance and xenophobia are not welcome here. That’s why we took a stand."

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At the scene on Friday night, demonstrators were held back by security guards as shouts of ‘fascist,’ ‘he’s lying to you’ and ‘Brexit’s not going well, is it?’ were heard.

The protestors made it difficult for Farage to be heard during the show with loud music and shouting almost every time he spoke.

Kit Malthouse, Tory minister for crime and policing, also received heckles, with demonstrators shouting ‘Tories out’.

They were joined on the show by  Slough’s Labour MP Tan Dhesi and SNP MP Joanna Cherry.

The hour-long show saw the panel tackle four questions, the first being: ‘is it time to make like unbearable for the unvaccinated?’

Other topics tackled included the acquittal of the Colston Four, how government cuts to children’s services may have affected knife crime rates, and whether Brexit was ‘done’.