Gary Oldman Michael Caine  Christian Bale
© Reuters / Chris PizzelloActors Gary Oldman (left), Michael Caine (middle) and Christian Bale (right), at the premiere of "Batman Begins"
Multimillionaire actor Michael Caine has claimed he would rather be poor and in control of his own fate, than the current 'fascist' alternative by which people he doesn't know and no one has elected make him rich by running it.

The legendary British actor, who has starred in iconic films such as 'The Italian Job' and 'The Dark Knight,' has been a staunch supporter of the UK leaving the EU. He insists that any fears over a 'no-deal' Brexit are simply the result of scare tactics.

He claims, in the long term, the UK will make a success of Brexit despite PM Theresa May's Tory government failing to secure a withdrawal agreement thus far.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4 Today show, Caine said: "People say 'Oh, you'll be poor, you'll be this, you'll be that.' I say I'd rather be a poor master of my fate than having someone I don't know making me rich by running it."

"What I see is I'm being ruled by people I don't know, who no one elected, and I think of that as fascist," he said, adding: "In the long run, though, it'll come around."

There was a social media backlash in response to Caine's comments, with many on Twitter complaining that the British actor doesn't need to worry about becoming poorer through any negative consequences of Brexit.



It comes as a number of Tory MPs have reacted angrily to May's admission that the UK could stay under EU rules "months" after Brexit - with some even telling her she needs to quit as leader over her handling of negotiations.

Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29, 2019 - two years after Article 50 was activated. If the UK leaves the EU without securing a deal, it runs the risk of having no official trade, immigration or diplomatic plans in place for the country's departure.