Farage in ‘divisive’ race law call

Political leaders united against Mr Farage after a “divisive” interview in which the would-be MP said employers were prevented from discrimination in favour of British job applicants because of existing laws.

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, Mr Farage called for an end to race discrimination legislation.

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.”

Mr Farage went to say that 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”.

In a message on Twitter, Mr Cameron said: “Nigel Farage is attention seeking. The laws protect people from racial discrimination. It’s deeply concerning he doesn’t understand that.”

That provoked a social media response from Mr Farage, who said on Twitter: “David Cameron, the people the law doesn’t protect are British workers, black or white. Disturbing, though unsurprising, that you don’t care

Labour leader Ed Miliband said: “Farage’s comments are wrong, divisive and dangerous.”

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg accused Mr Farage of “instilling fear” by conflating problems like violent extremism and Sharia law with the issue of employment legislation.

Mr Clegg told LBC radio: “It is very, very unhelpful to conflate the decision a baker in Orpington might make about a Polish or British worker with the violent extremism that you see in Iraq and Syria. That’s what is so irresponsible in the way Nigel Farage handles these issues. He instils fear by confusing a lot of these things.”

Asked about his comments, Mr Farage said: “We’ve never before had a migrant group come to Britain who have tried to change our culture, and unfortunately there are a small number in the Muslim community who genuinely want to bring Sharia law to Britain.

“So, I think that’s a wholly uncontroversial comment.

Asked about his claims that some Muslims wanted to change Britain, he replied: “I’ll give a personal example of a taxi driver that I caught a taxi home from Hertfordshire with 18 months ago.

“Very bright, well educated, terribly nice fellow, I sat in the front with him. He told me, ‘your society in Britain is rotten and it needs changing, we are going to take over and introduce Sharia law’. This is not a white v black thing at all.”