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Nigel Farage: migrant sex attacks to be nuclear bomb of EU referendum Nigel Farage: migrant sex attacks to be nuclear bomb of EU referendum
(about 1 hour later)
The possibility of migrant sex attacks on women will be the “nuclear bomb” of the EU referendum campaign, according to the Ukip leader, Nigel Farage. omen will be the “nuclear bomb” of the EU referendum campaign, according to the Ukip leader, Nigel Farage.
The Brexit campaigner raised concerns over safety for women as an issue for voters to consider. In remarks widely condemned by Remain campaigners, Farage said he wanted to raise concerns over safety for women as “an issue” with Britain’s membership of the EU.
Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, he also called the prime minister “Dishonest Dave” and said the Conservative party leader’s integrity was being questioned. “The nuclear bomb this time would be about Cologne,” he said, referring to the reports in Januarythat hundreds of women were sexually assaulted and robbed at the German city’s central station on New Year’s Eve.
In a live ITV programme on Tuesday, Farage will take questions from a studio audience on the referendum. David Cameron will also appear. Related: John Major: NHS at risk from Brexit 'pythons' Johnson and Gove
Farage made headlines during the general election campaign last year when, during a TV debate, he claimed the cost of drugs for foreign HIV patients should instead be spent on cancer drugs for deserving Britons. “The nuclear bomb this time would be about Cologne,” he said. “There are some very big cultural issues,” Farage said.
“The nuclear bomb this time would be about Cologne,” he said.
In January, reports emerged of allegations that hundreds of women were sexually assaulted and robbed at the German city’s central station on New Year’s Eve.
“There are some very big cultural issues,” Farage said.
Asked whether mass sex attacks like those in Cologne could occur in the UK, he said: “It depends if they get EU passports. It depends if we vote for Brexit or not. It is an issue.”Asked whether mass sex attacks like those in Cologne could occur in the UK, he said: “It depends if they get EU passports. It depends if we vote for Brexit or not. It is an issue.”
Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, he also called the prime minister “Dishonest Dave” and said the Conservative party leader’s integrity was being questioned.
Michael Gove, the justice secretary and a leading Leave campaigner, distanced himself from Farage, declining to repeat the remarks but not explicitly condemning them.
“I haven’t made remarks like that and I won’t make remarks like that,” he told ITV’s Peston on Sunday show.
Sal Brinton, the Liberal Democrat president, said Farage had “sunk to new depths in his scaremongering with these remarks which are completely unacceptable.” “
The debate about whether Britain is better off in Europe is hugely important and should be based on the facts, not shameful attempts to stir up hatred and fear with smears like this,” she continued. “It is disgusting to see a politician make comments like this. He must withdraw these remarks and apologise.”
Ryan Coetzee, the director of strategy for the Stronger In campaign, said Farage’s comments were “disgraceful.’
Disgraceful. Don't vote for this man's idea of Britain. https://t.co/ZByBZA1waA
Farage also said that voters believed the prime minister did not keep his promises to cut migration and renegotiate the UK’s terms of membership of the EU. He said: “He is ‘Dishonest Dave’. The honesty and straightforwardness of the prime minister are now being questioned.”Farage also said that voters believed the prime minister did not keep his promises to cut migration and renegotiate the UK’s terms of membership of the EU. He said: “He is ‘Dishonest Dave’. The honesty and straightforwardness of the prime minister are now being questioned.”
In a live ITV programme on Tuesday, Farage will take questions from a studio audience on the referendum. David Cameron will also appear.
George Osborne took aim at the Ukip leader in an interview published in the Sunday Times, where the chancellor accused his Conservative colleagues on the Leave side, Gove and Boris Johnson, of adopting Farage’s populist tactics.
“This is a battle between Farage’s mean vision of Britain and the outward-facing, generous Britain that the mainstream of this country celebrates,” he said. “I say: we don’t want Farage’s Britain. That means voting to remain.”
It is not the first time Farage has insinuated women would be at risk of mass sex attacks were Britain to remain in the EU, arguing in April about the dangers of living in a ‘Turkish-dominated Europe”.
“Frankly if we are prepared to accept, or if Germany and Sweden are prepared to accept, unlimited numbers of young males, from countries and cultures where women are at best second-class citizens then frankly, what do you expect?” he said.
“None of this is going to get better because the EU now is in negotiations with Turkey and [Turkish president] Mr Erdoğan plays a clever game doesn’t he?”