Nigel Farage has come under intense criticism for making controversial statements during his first election interview, where he accused a growing number of Muslims in the UK of not sharing British values.
Farage, the honorary president of the Reform UK party, drew significant backlash on Sunday, May 26 after claiming that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has allowed more people into the country who oppose British values than any other UK leader before him.
The former leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), stated, “We have a growing number of young people in this country who do not subscribe to British values, [who] in fact loathe much of what we stand for.”
When asked if he was referring to Muslims, Farage affirmed, saying, “We are. … And I’m afraid I found some of the recent surveys saying that 46% of British Muslims support Hamas – support a terrorist organization that is proscribed in this country.”
His remarks were condemned by Plaid Cymru and Momentum, Labour’s grassroots campaign group, as examples of “outright Islamophobia.”
“Nigel Farage should not be allowed to spout Islamophobia and hatred on our television screens. He is an extremist who has been allowed to corrode our politics for far too long.
“Plaid Cymru reaffirms our commitment to eradicating all forms of Islamophobia, antisemitism, racism, and intolerance. We encourage all parties in this election to campaign on policy and ideas, not on fears and prejudices.”
Rhun ap Iorwerth
The Liberal Democrat deputy leader, Daisy Cooper MP, said, “This a grubby attempt to divide our communities in a desperate attempt for attention.”
“It’s no surprise Nigel Farage has lost at the ballot box seven times over. Rishi Sunak must condemn these divisive comments and rule out Farage rejoining the Conservative party.”
Daisy Cooper
Muslim Council of Britain Condemns Farage’s “Islamophobic” Remarks
Zara Mohammed, the secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, criticized Nigel Farage for his latest comments, accusing him of spreading “horribly Islamophobic, racist and hate-filled rhetoric of misinformation.”
Farage’s remarks came during an interview where he announced his intention to run for Parliament in the future, despite his disappointment with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s decision to call a snap election on July 4.
Farage hinted at a significant upcoming move, stating he had “one more big card to play.” He confirmed that the Reform Party would focus its campaign on reducing immigration.
Farage drew a controversial comparison between the integration of West Indian immigrants and Muslims in British society.
He claimed that people from the West Indies had integrated more successfully, citing “shared history, shared culture, and shared religion” as factors.
Farage noted that most of the West Indian community spoke English, contrasting this with areas in Oldham where he said “literally no one speaks English.”
Labour Criticizes Conservatives and Reform Party for “Empty Rhetoric”
Moreover, a Labour source criticized the Conservatives and the Reform Party, describing them as “two sides of the same broken coin, ramping up the rhetoric without offering any real solutions.”
Farage previously stood as a candidate for the UK Independence Party (Ukip) in five general elections and two by-elections, last ran in the South Thanet constituency in 2015, where he garnered over 16,000 votes.
Explaining his decision not to run in the upcoming election, Farage said, “I’ve chosen I want to be part of the national debate, not just in a constituency, and I will be that. Believe you me, I’m going to do my best to expose some of the absolute nonsense that is being discussed over immigration and economics.”
READ ALSO: Sammy Gyamfi Cautions Against False Reports on Ato Forson Case
