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| Nigel Farage speech will accuse British Muslims of conflicting loyalties | Nigel Farage speech will accuse British Muslims of conflicting loyalties |
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| British Muslims are “conflicted in their loyalties” between the UK way of life and what some elements within their faith are telling them, Nigel Farage is expected to say in a speech on Monday. | British Muslims are “conflicted in their loyalties” between the UK way of life and what some elements within their faith are telling them, Nigel Farage is expected to say in a speech on Monday. |
| In an incendiary intervention in the wake of the Paris terror attacks, the Ukip leader will say that there must be a battle for hearts and minds within the Muslim population. | In an incendiary intervention in the wake of the Paris terror attacks, the Ukip leader will say that there must be a battle for hearts and minds within the Muslim population. |
| According to a briefing released by Ukip, one of his points will be that: “According to research it is clear that the UK Muslim population are conflicted in their loyalties between loyalty to the UK, its way of life and its institutions and what elements within their organised faith are telling them. | According to a briefing released by Ukip, one of his points will be that: “According to research it is clear that the UK Muslim population are conflicted in their loyalties between loyalty to the UK, its way of life and its institutions and what elements within their organised faith are telling them. |
| Related: The fight against Islamophobia is going backwards | Matthew Goodwin | Related: The fight against Islamophobia is going backwards | Matthew Goodwin |
| “This conflict within the UK Muslim population suggests that there is all to play for and we can win the battle of hearts and minds. To that end we must do two things. Firstly we must believe and support those institutions and aspects of our society, like equality, decency, tolerance and the rule of law which are the bedrock of our civilisation.” | “This conflict within the UK Muslim population suggests that there is all to play for and we can win the battle of hearts and minds. To that end we must do two things. Firstly we must believe and support those institutions and aspects of our society, like equality, decency, tolerance and the rule of law which are the bedrock of our civilisation.” |
| A senior Ukip source said Farage would be referring to polling earlier this year that suggested more than 90% of Muslims approve of the British way of life but 27% had sympathy for the motives behind the Charlie Hebdo terror attacks. | A senior Ukip source said Farage would be referring to polling earlier this year that suggested more than 90% of Muslims approve of the British way of life but 27% had sympathy for the motives behind the Charlie Hebdo terror attacks. |
| Ukip claimed the speech would be “the most important intervention from a mainstream politician in the UK on the subject of Syria and the UK’s security situation”. | Ukip claimed the speech would be “the most important intervention from a mainstream politician in the UK on the subject of Syria and the UK’s security situation”. |
| Farage will also say the EU is “seriously imperiling our security” because of the risk of terrorists posing as migrants. Initial reports suggest one of the Paris terrorists had a passport belonging to a Syrian refugee. | Farage will also say the EU is “seriously imperiling our security” because of the risk of terrorists posing as migrants. Initial reports suggest one of the Paris terrorists had a passport belonging to a Syrian refugee. |
| Farage will call for the abolition of the Schengen agreement that allows people to pass freely through many European states without border checks. The UK is not a member of Schengen. | Farage will call for the abolition of the Schengen agreement that allows people to pass freely through many European states without border checks. The UK is not a member of Schengen. |
| Speaking to MPs in parliament on Monday, the home secretary, Theresa May, said the Paris terror attacks were “nothing to do with Islam”. | Speaking to MPs in parliament on Monday, the home secretary, Theresa May, said the Paris terror attacks were “nothing to do with Islam”. |
| “British Muslims and indeed Muslims worldwide have said very clearly these events are abhorrent,” she said. “The attacks have nothing to do with Islam which is followed peacefully by millions of people around the world.” | “British Muslims and indeed Muslims worldwide have said very clearly these events are abhorrent,” she said. “The attacks have nothing to do with Islam which is followed peacefully by millions of people around the world.” |
| The former shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper – who is currently Labour’s spokesperson on the migration crisis – said the attacks in Paris were too serious to be used for such political purposes. | The former shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper – who is currently Labour’s spokesperson on the migration crisis – said the attacks in Paris were too serious to be used for such political purposes. |
| “Isis twists, distort and undermines Islam, they attack Muslims, Christians and anyone who gets in their way,” she said. “As Nigel Farage knows, people from Muslim communities across Britain and Europe have condemned the vile attacks in Paris. This is not the time to divide and denigrate our communities – that is what the terrorists want. Nigel Farage should retract these irresponsible and shameful remarks immediately.” | “Isis twists, distort and undermines Islam, they attack Muslims, Christians and anyone who gets in their way,” she said. “As Nigel Farage knows, people from Muslim communities across Britain and Europe have condemned the vile attacks in Paris. This is not the time to divide and denigrate our communities – that is what the terrorists want. Nigel Farage should retract these irresponsible and shameful remarks immediately.” |
| The Liberal Democrat leader, Tim Farron, described Farage’s comments as “grubby politics of the worst kind and sadly the type Farage does so often”. | The Liberal Democrat leader, Tim Farron, described Farage’s comments as “grubby politics of the worst kind and sadly the type Farage does so often”. |
| “For a man who talks a lot about patriotism, he now seeks to play community against community,” he said. “These comments will be deeply offensive to millions of hard-working, proud and community-minded citizens. I think the only ‘conflict’ is in Farage’s head between being a rational politician and spouting lines like this.” | “For a man who talks a lot about patriotism, he now seeks to play community against community,” he said. “These comments will be deeply offensive to millions of hard-working, proud and community-minded citizens. I think the only ‘conflict’ is in Farage’s head between being a rational politician and spouting lines like this.” |
| The Green party’s former leader and only MP, Caroline Lucas, said: “Cynical attempts to use these atrocious terror attacks to divide our communities are beneath contempt. | |
| “We know that Isis aim to destroy multicultural societies and drive a wedge between people of different faiths and beliefs. The vast majority of people in Britain – from all religious groups and backgrounds – find Isis’s beliefs abhorrent. We must not play into the hands of the terrorists by using their attacks as justification to undermine the multicultural communities in which we live.” | “We know that Isis aim to destroy multicultural societies and drive a wedge between people of different faiths and beliefs. The vast majority of people in Britain – from all religious groups and backgrounds – find Isis’s beliefs abhorrent. We must not play into the hands of the terrorists by using their attacks as justification to undermine the multicultural communities in which we live.” |
| Related: Nigel Farage: British Muslim ‘fifth column’ fuels fear of immigration | Related: Nigel Farage: British Muslim ‘fifth column’ fuels fear of immigration |
| Mary Honeyball, the Labour MEP for London, said Farage was “completely wrong” in suggesting that British Muslims were conflicted in their loyalties. “There are over two-and-a-half million Muslims in Britain and the overwhelming majority are law-abiding citizens and completely loyal to the country in which they live, as Nigel Farage is well aware,” she said. “Suggesting that the community is in some way divided is not only completely prejudiced but also disgracefully inflammatory.” | Mary Honeyball, the Labour MEP for London, said Farage was “completely wrong” in suggesting that British Muslims were conflicted in their loyalties. “There are over two-and-a-half million Muslims in Britain and the overwhelming majority are law-abiding citizens and completely loyal to the country in which they live, as Nigel Farage is well aware,” she said. “Suggesting that the community is in some way divided is not only completely prejudiced but also disgracefully inflammatory.” |
| During the election campaign, Farage controversially claimed that half a million Islamic extremists could cross the Mediterranean and gain access to the UK as a result of EU policies to address the migrant boat crisis. | During the election campaign, Farage controversially claimed that half a million Islamic extremists could cross the Mediterranean and gain access to the UK as a result of EU policies to address the migrant boat crisis. |
| He also claimed there is rising public concern about immigration partly because people believe there are some Muslims who want to form “a fifth column and kill us”, and that there has never before been a migrant group that wants to “change who we are and what we are”. | He also claimed there is rising public concern about immigration partly because people believe there are some Muslims who want to form “a fifth column and kill us”, and that there has never before been a migrant group that wants to “change who we are and what we are”. |
| Ukip won just one seat at the election, but the party won 13% of the vote overall and is hoping to play a big role in the referendum campaign for the UK to leave the E U. | Ukip won just one seat at the election, but the party won 13% of the vote overall and is hoping to play a big role in the referendum campaign for the UK to leave the E U. |