Nigel Farage Claims Community is a” Fifth Column”
UKIP Leader, Nigel Farage has sparked an angry reaction from the Muslim community after suggesting that public concern over issues such as immigration are partly to do with a “fifth column” of Muslims who want to form a “fifth column” and “kill us”.
Speaking during an interview with Channel 4, Mr Farage said, “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. 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 Isis, 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.”
The Muslim Council of Britain hit back by stating that 73% of Muslims identified themselves as only British.
.@Nigel_Farage say Muslims are 5th column. Majority see themselves British #Farage5thColumn http://t.co/IGFFhpZvNk pic.twitter.com/CTZLzpCFlA
— MCB (@MuslimCouncil) March 12, 2015
In a separate incident he defended his remarks on scrapping discrimination laws by saying they were “wilfully misinterpreted” as he was talking about nationality and not race.
Nigel Farage had claimed that if his party were to win the next general election he would scrap much of the legislation designed to prevent racial discrimination in work.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said his comments were "deeply concerning."
Speaking to the BBC, Mr Farage said, "I didn't mention race at all. There was no part of that interview which I ever said it at all.
"What I said was that I do believe there should be a presumption for British employers in favour of them employing British people as opposed to somebody from Poland. That is exactly what I said," he added.
"My comments have been wilfully misinterpreted. I have made no comments about the Race Relations Act at all.
"I have made comments in favour of British people getting jobs over and above those from southern eastern Europe."
However, producers of the Channel 4 programme makers said that they had not misrepresented Mr Farage's views.
"He was asked a direct question on whether there would be a law against discrimination on the grounds of race or colour and he replied no." they said.
