Lawyers for Brexit campaigner Arron Banks ordered the European Parliament’s chief Brexit coordinator to retract a claim that Banks colluded with Russia to deliver the UK vote to leave the European Union.

Guy Verhofstadt, who leads the European Parliament Brexit coordination team, said on Twitter that far-right and right wing leaders across Europe made up a fifth column of cheerleaders for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a letter to Verhofstadt, Bank’s lawyers, Mishcon de Reya, quoted the tweet which mentioned former UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage as a cheerleader and he “colluded w/ Russians to deliver #Brexit”.