Senior Italian government officials say that the economic and social turbulence in Britain that has followed the withdrawal from the EU has been eye-opening, writes Kim Sengupta.

MEPs are set to blast Boris Johnson’s approach on Wednesday. / But the ID group, which represents parties like French National Rally, Italy's Lega, and the German AfD appears to have come to the UK's aid and tried to get the debate postponed.

Freshly-elected MEPs from the UK's new Brexit Party and the Italian far-right League earn more money on the side than any other delegation in the European Parliament.

ID’s influence doubtful, however, after falling short in aim to become third-biggest bloc.

Nigel Farage’s Brexit party has been in talks to join the far-right group in the European parliament and is keeping its options open about its future allies, a spokesman for the party has said.

The Brexit Party has refused to rule out joining a new alliance far-right parties in the European Parliament, fuelling concerns that Nigel Farage could link up with extremist parties once safely re-elected.

Politicians from mainstream parties across Europe have called on voters to shun the far right in this week’s European elections after Austria’s vice-chancellor resigned over a video sting that showed him offering public contracts in exchange for financial and campaign backing.