Thursday, March 12, 2015

A 'fifth column' of some Muslims 'hate us and want to kill us', says Farage as he claims there has never before been a migrant group that wants to 'change who we are and what we are'

  • Ukip leader said he would scrap 'much of' the existing employment laws
  • Said employers should be able to chose employees based on nationality
  • Argued that rules were no longer relevant, and called Ukip 'colour blind' 
  • Says some Muslims want to 'change who we are and what we are'
  • Prime Minister David Cameron accused Farage of 'attention seeking' 
  • Miliband slams 'dangerous' remarks and Clegg says he is 'instilling fear'
  • Labour says Ukip wants to go back to signs saying: 'No blacks, no Irish'
Nigel Farage was today condemned as an attention seeker for calling for race discrimination laws to be scrapped and claiming some Muslims in Britain 'hate us and want to kill us'. 

The Ukip leader became embroiled in a race row after first suggesting in a TV interview that laws against discrimination should be scrapped, before trying to claim that he never discussed race at all.

He claimed public concern was fuelled by migrant group who want to 'change who we are and what we are'.

David Cameron said the remarks were 'deeply concerning' and Labour accused Mr Farage of wanting to go back to the days when firms put up signs saying 'no blacks, no dogs, no Irish'.

Nigel Farage says employers should be able to 'discriminate' over who them employ based on nationality, saying race hate is no longer an issue

In a Channel 4 documentary, Mr Farage claimed concern over preventing racial discrimination in employment 'would probably have been valid' 40 years ago and he would get rid of 'much of' existing legislation.

He also described some Muslims in Britain as a 'fifth column living within our country, who hate us and want to kill us'. 

Setting out the case for scrapping race laws, Mr Farage said: 'I think the situation that we now have, where an employer is not allowed to choose between a British-born person and somebody from Poland, is a ludicrous state of affairs. 

'I think that we have taken our relationship with Europe to a level that, frankly, has gone against common sense, and certainly against self-interest.

'I would argue that the law does need changing, and that if an employer wishes to choose, or you can use the word 'discriminate' if you want to, but wishes to choose to employ a British-born person, they should be allowed to do so.

'I think you should be able to choose on the basis of nationality, yes. I do.'

He added: 'If we'd sat here 40 years ago, having this conversation, your point [on the need for anti-discrimination laws] would probably have been valid. I don't think it is today.' 

Mr Farage was speaking in an interview with ex-equalities watchdog chief Trevor Phillips for a Channel 4 documentary, Things We Won't Say About Race That Are True, due to be broadcast next week. 

He claimed the rise of British-born Islamist extremists going to fight with ISIS in Syria had fuelled an 'uptick' in public concern.

He added: 'I think perhaps one of the reasons the polls show an increasing level of concern is because people do see a fifth column living within our country, who hate us and want to kill us. So don't be surprised if there isn't a slight increase in people's worries and concerns.

'Nigel Farage is attention seeking. The laws protect people from racial discrimination 
Prime Minister David Cameron 
'You know, when you've got British, when you've got people, born and bred in Cardiff, with British passports, going out to fight for Isil, don't be surprised if there isn't an uptick in concern. 

There has been an uptick in concern, but does it make us a prejudiced people? No.' 

'There is an especial problem with some of the people who've come here and who are of the Muslim religion who don't want to become part of our culture. 

'So there is no previous experience, in our history, of a migrant group that comes to Britain, that fundamentally wants to change who we are and what we are. That is, I think, above everything else, what people are really concerned about.' 

The remarks sparked a furious row, with political opponents accusing the Ukip leader of fuelling racial tensions.

Mr Cameron said: 'Nigel Farage is attention seeking. The laws protect people from racial discrimination. It's deeply concerning he doesn't understand that.'

Labour leader Ed Miliband said the comments were 'wrong, dangerous and divisive'.

Mr Miliband added: 'I believe that Britain should be proud of the fact that we are a tolerant country, we're a country of different faiths, different backgrounds.

'I believe that the laws we have on equality are an incredibly important part of meeting the very British value of treating everyone the same whatever their religion.'

Lib Dem Nick Clegg Clegg accused Mr Farage of 'instilling fear' by conflating problems like violent extremism and Sharia law with the issue of employment legislation.

Labour's shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan said: 'This is one of the most shocking things I have ever heard from a mainstream politician and demonstrates breathtaking ignorance. 

'When my parents moved to London they frequently saw signs saying 'No blacks, no dogs, no Irish': what Ukip is suggesting would take us back to those days.'

When my parents moved to London they frequently saw signs saying 'No blacks, no dogs, no Irish': what Ukip is suggesting would take us back to those days 
Labour's Sadiq Khan 
A Ukip spokesperson said: 'We don't think there's anything controversial in what Nigel has said, at least not [for] the vast majority of the country.'  

Mr Farage later claimed his comments had been taken out of context. He said in a statement: 'My comments to Trevor Phillips were lauding the progress of race relations and equality in this country.

 Britain's media should be proud of this fact instead of trying to do it down.

'Ukip is the only party that is suggesting that Britain's employers should be free to employ British workers, regardless of creed or colour. It wasn't that long ago that the Labour Party called for 'British jobs for British workers'.

'And I suggest the real racists in our society are those who hear me say `British' and think `white'. I'm the only leader arguing for Britain's employers to favour British workers, no matter what their colour.

'And I must say, given the unemployment rates amongst young people , I'm now the only party leader standing up for them, black, white, or otherwise.'   





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