Serial headline grabber Nigel Farage has once again found himself in the spotlight after claiming an increasing number of Muslims don’t share British values. The comments were part of a criticism of Rishi Sunak’s record on immigration.
Farage Unhappy About Immigration
Farage told Sky News’ Trevor Phillips that Rishi Sunak had allowed “more people into the country who are going to fight British values” than his predecessors.
Attack on Tory Record on Immigration
Farage has used the increased number of immigrants as a line of attack against the Tory party, particularly Rishi Sunak. The Reform Party will run their election campaign using reducing immigration as a headline policy.
Former UKIP Leader Elaborated on His Thoughts
United Kingdom
He continued: “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.”
Farage Referencing Support for Hamas
When Philips asked if he was referring to Muslims, he said: “We are. And I’m afraid I found some of the recent surveys saying that 46% of British Muslims support Hamas – support a terrorist organisation that is proscribed in this country.”
Polls a Snapshot
Farage is using the old trick of cherry-picking data to prove points. He hasn’t said which surveys, where they came from, how many people were asked, etc. He’s extrapolating data, and he wants to prove his point.
Political Rivals Quick to Criticise
Daisy Cooper, the Liberal Democrat deputy leader, 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.”
Cooper Urges Sunak to Respond
She continued: “Rishi Sunak must condemn these divisive comments and rule out Farage rejoining the Conservative party.”
Liberals Hope Sunak Will Distance Himself
By speaking out against Farage, Sunak will draw battle lines between his party and Reform. It’ll likely cost him more votes than it wins, and the Lib Dems will know this. It’ll strengthen their position in hotly-contested blue wall seats.
Labour Comparing Reform and Tories
An unnamed Labour source linked the Conservatives and the Reform, saying they were “two sides of the same broken coin, ramping up the rhetoric without offering any real solutions”.
Muslims Understandably Furious
Zara Mohammed, the secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, described Farage’s comments as “horribly Islamophobic, racist and hate-filled rhetoric of misinformation”.
Hate Crimes Against Muslims on the Rise
Charity Tell Mama has documented 2,010 Islamophobic incidents between 7 October and 7 February, up from the 600 cases it recorded for the same period the year before.
Farage’s Words Inflame the Issue
As a prominent figure on the right of British politics, he knows the impact his words have. They’ll bolster the right wing, some of whom are associated with hate crimes against Muslims. As an experienced politician, you’d hope he’d choose his words carefully.
Integration: An Issue for Farage
Nigel Farage told Phillips, “I can take you to streets in Oldham where literally no one speaks English.”
Words Designed to Make Headlines for Reform
When running their campaign on immigration, Nigel Farage is going to be purposely inflammatory on these issues. He knows it’ll win them far-right votes – enough to make noise without winning the election.
Early Cycle Tactics
He’ll also know that making these comments early will bury them in the news cycle as the election ramps up. They’re controversial enough to draw attention, but early enough for most people to forget.
Farage Not Standing, but Still Influencing
Despite having never won a parliamentary election and holding no official political position, Farage is afforded much attention by the media. He’ll court this as much as he can.
Your Move, Sunak
Eyes will now turn to Sunak. He’s the one who the criticism was aimed at – Farage blamed him for letting a high number of immigrants into the country. The Rwanda plan hasn’t worked – will he continue to bang that drum or make a change late in the day?
Reform Letting Voters Know What to Expect
This is just Reform’s first controversial comment in the campaign—it won’t be the last. They know they can’t win, so they’ll exist to embolden their small following by making them angry at the government. It’s how they operate.
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