Nigel Farage wants to axe laws against racial discrimination

UKIP’s leader is under fire again

UKIP’s leader has been recorded for a Channel 4 documentary saying he thinks “much of” the legislation protecting against racial discrimination in the workplace should be scrapped.

He claims the laws are outdated and therefore unnecessary.

When asked by Trevor Phillips, former head of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, if he would maintain the laws against workplace discrimination on the basis of race or nationality, he said: “No… because we take the view, we are colour-blind. We as a party are colour-blind.”

He said the legislation “would probably have been valid” 40 years ago, but “I don’t think it is today”.

“If I talked to my children… about the question of race, they wouldn’t know what I was talking about,” he said.

Farage added: “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.”

He said: “I think you should be able to choose on the basis of nationality, yes. I do.”

Number 10 responded by saying Farage is “desperate for attention” and that his comments are “deeply concerning”.

Labour said his comments are “shocking”.

David Cameron tweeted: “Nigel Farage is attention seeking. The laws protect people from racial discrimination. It’s deeply concerning he doesn’t understand that.”

Farage responded to the criticism by tweeting: “Wilful misinterpretation of what I said. I’m talking Britons, whatever their heritage, being discriminated against in favour of EU migrants… I would suggest the REAL racists in our society are the ones who hear me say ‘British’ and think ‘white’. Deeply concerning.”