Nigel Farage was engulfed in a high- profile row with the prime minister and Ed Miliband yesterday as he attempted to deny calling for laws against racial discrimination to be scrapped.
The Ukip leader insisted that, despite remarks he made in a TV documentary, he did not want to repeal legislation that protects ethnic minorities.
In a pre-recorded Channel 4 programme, called Things We Won’t Say About Race That Are True, he said he would change “much of” equality legislation, describing the prohibition on employers preferring British applicants above foreigners as “ludicrous”.
Asked if he would retain a ban on discrimination on the grounds of race or colour, he said in the documentary: “No. You know, we are colour-blind. We as a party are colour-blind.”
The comments sparked outrage after a transcript was released. Mr Farage denied that he had spoken at all about race, prompting the broadcaster to release the clip of him talking about the subject. The documentary is due to be shown on Thursday next week.
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Mr Cameron branded the Ukip leader “attention-seeking” and attacked him for his apparent about-turn.
The prime minister said: “I think what Nigel Farage has said is completely wrong and frankly pretty appalling. The reason these laws are in place is to stop people being discriminated against on the basis of the colour of their skin.
“He now seems to be saying he didn’t say what he did say. I have to say, I’ve been talking about the forthcoming election being about competence versus chaos — I think Nigel Farage is demonstrating the sort of chaos that we don’t need in our public life.”
Nadhim Zahawi, a No 10 policy adviser and Tory MP, likened Mr Farage’s comments to the sentiments promoted by Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propagandist. “If you are not British-born, you’re not equal. It’s a remark Goebbels would be proud of,” he said.
Ed Miliband said: “I believe that the laws that we have on equality are an incredibly important part of meeting the very British value that we treat everybody the same whatever their background, whatever their religion.
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“I think Nigel Farage’s comments today are wrong, they’re divisive and they’re dangerous,” he said.
In an escalating Twitter spat between the three party leaders, Mr Farage accused Mr Miliband of standing up for “bureaucracy” rather than British values. To the prime minister, he tweeted: “The people the law doesn’t protect are British workers, black or white. Disturbing, though unsurprising, that u don’t care.”
Speaking yesterday, Mr Farage said: “I’m not talking about changing the Race Relations Act in this country or anything of the kind.
“I’m not talking about abolishing race relations in this country, I’m talking about lightening employment legislation so that small employers — and don’t forget, there are nearly five million small businesses in Britain — are less fearful of taking on young British workers.”
He added: “I think we as a country beat ourselves up on the whole issue of race. The reality is the world has moved on from 50 years ago.”
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Changing tunes
THEN [Channel 4’s pre-recorded documentary Things We Won’t Say About Race That Are True, to be broadcast next Wednesday] Trevor Phillips So in Ukip-land, there would be no law against discrimination on the grounds of nationality; would there be a law against discrimination on the grounds of race or colour? Nigel Farage No. We, as a party, are colour-blind. TP We have these laws for a reason, you know. Before we had these laws, people were discriminated in favour of their families and people like them. NF If we’d sat here 40 years ago, having this conversation, your point would probably have been valid. I don’t think it is today.
NOW [BBC Radio 4’s Today programme yesterday] Nigel Farage “I didn’t mention race at all; it was no part of that interview with Trevor Phillips 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. My comments are being wilfully misinterpreted. I’ve 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 and eastern Europe.