Overheard at the Brexit Party's Big Brexit Party

On Friday night, after three-and-a-half years, two general elections, tens of thousands of hours of heated debate and approximately 8,000 parliamentary votes, the United Kingdom finally made good on the 2016 referendum and left the European Union, kind of.

To celebrate, thousands gathered in Parliament Square at an event organised by Nigel Farage's Brexit Party. The crowd heard speeches from such luminaries as ex-Tory MP and believer in conversion therapy, Anne Widdecombe; JD Wetherspoon owner Tim Martin; and Michelle Dewberry, who was apparently the winner of the second season of The Apprentice.

Those present participated in sing-a-longs, led by karaoke-style lyrics projected onto the big screens, and counted down together to 11PM, when Big Ben's famous bongs were piped through giant speakers to mark the exact moment we left the EU.

Here's some of what we overheard at the Brexit Party's big Brexit Party.

"Brexit? Hardest war Britain has ever fought mate."

"This flag? Yeah, it's Cromwell's from the first civil war. This is the second."

"Mate, honestly, think this might be your Waterloo."

– Various pink men keeping everything in perspective.

"BOO!"

– Shouted every time Blair, Cameron, May, the BBC, EU representatives appeared in any of the videos played on the big screens.

"YAY!"

– Shouted every time Thatcher, Boris, Farage or news clips of the UK voting to leave the EU appeared in any of the videos played on the big screens.

"What are we going to do for two hours?"
"Dunno – should stick Eastenders on the screen or something, kill half an hour."

– The 40 minutes of rolling graphics played at the start the protest were not to everyone's taste.

"The world is completely different now…"
"Don't worry, we're going to be taking it back for ourselves."
"Good!"

– A Brexiteer reassures a police officer in Parliament Square.

"The Police are Brexiteers."

– Seemingly not incorrect.

"Yes! Winston, the main man!!"

– A reveller greets another Brexiteer, dressed as Churchill, a man who once famously called for a United States of Europe.

"This must be what Glastonbury feels like."

"This is like a really shit Eurovision. Guess at least we can't lose."

– Reviews of the evening.

"Why are you taking a picture of me?"
"Because you look great!"
"Yeah, I'm trying to keep my head down tonight."

– An interaction between a photographer and a man dressed as a Roman centurion, waving a giant Union Jack.

"What's this song? I recognise it."
"Dunno – think it might be the national anthem."

"When’s Brexit happening again?"
"11PM, you cunt."

– Good stuff.

"I can't hear a word she's, saying but she's got a cracking pair of tits on her, so it doesn't really matter."

– On Julia Hartley Brewer.

"What's he up to? I don't trust him."
"Snake."

– On Blair.

"This hat is fucking popular here, mate."

– A partygoer on his "Make Britain Great Again" hat.

"Brexit isn't racist, it's free speech. What about the paedophile gangs?"

– Union Jack-clad woman leaning on a fence outside a Spoons, clutching a bottle of rose, shouting at no one.

"You wanna get a fucking life, mate, coming in here taking pictures of rubbish, trying to make the far-right look bad."

– A reveller takes offence a photographer using rubbish to make the far-right look bad.

"Get that fucking stupid shit off you and move the fuck out of the way, you slow cunts."

– A suited man to a couple wearing (homemade) Union Jack capes walking into the bowels of Leicester Square station, shortly before stamping on Union Jack man's foot, starting a brawl that drew in at least two other men.

What a night.

@bencsmoke / @christopherbethell