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Farage calls migrant sex attack comments 'tiddly issue' in EU referendum campaign Farage calls migrant sex attack comments 'tiddly issue' in EU referendum campaign
(35 minutes later)
In a televised debate with the prime minister, Nigel Farage has defended himself against claims of racism, saying that comments he made about the possibility of Cologne-style sex attacks in Britain were “a tiddly issue” in the EU referendum campaign.In a televised debate with the prime minister, Nigel Farage has defended himself against claims of racism, saying that comments he made about the possibility of Cologne-style sex attacks in Britain were “a tiddly issue” in the EU referendum campaign.
The Ukip leader told a questioner in the ITV election programme to “calm down there” when she asked him about the controversial claims that triggered a robust response from the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.The Ukip leader told a questioner in the ITV election programme to “calm down there” when she asked him about the controversial claims that triggered a robust response from the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.
During the debate, David Cameron warned that a vote to leave the European Union at the referendum, which takes place in 15 days’ time, could trigger a second Scottish referendum, despite previously claiming that the result north of the border in 2014 was “decisive”. During the confrontation, David Cameron warned that a vote to leave the European Union at the referendum, which takes place in 15 days’ time, could trigger a second Scottish referendum, despite previously claiming that the result north of the border in 2014 was “decisive”.
The prime minister said he was a patriot who loved his country with a passion. “I think we’re an amazing country. I say if you love your country, you don’t damage its economy, you don’t restrict opportunities for young people, you don’t actually isolate your country and reduce its influence in the world,” he said. He said that a vote to leave the EU would make the British “quitters” rather than fighters, adding that he wanted to make the patriotic case.
“I think we’re an amazing country. I say if you love your country, you don’t damage its economy, you don’t restrict opportunities for young people, you don’t actually isolate your country and reduce its influence in the world,” he said.
“Frankly I do worry about a second Scottish referendum if we vote to leave. You don’t strengthen your country by leading to its break up.”“Frankly I do worry about a second Scottish referendum if we vote to leave. You don’t strengthen your country by leading to its break up.”
But Cameron faced a difficult question from an audience member who said he had no GP, could not climb on to the housing ladder, and complained that the place he had grown up was a “no go zone”. But Cameron faced a difficult question from an audience member who complained that immigration had left him without a GP, unable to climb on to the housing ladder, and finding the place he had grown up had turned into a “no-go zone”.
The prime minister responded by saying: “There are good ways of controlling immigration and bad ways. A good way is saying people can come here, work and contribute but pay in before they get out.”The prime minister responded by saying: “There are good ways of controlling immigration and bad ways. A good way is saying people can come here, work and contribute but pay in before they get out.”
He also hit back at Farage’s claim that there was too much emphasis on GDP and not enough on the impact that immigration had on “ordinary decent people”.He also hit back at Farage’s claim that there was too much emphasis on GDP and not enough on the impact that immigration had on “ordinary decent people”.
“Mr Farage kept on saying GDP is not important. GDP is the size of our economy. It is the size of all the wealth our economy creates,” he said. “We don’t want to be little England, we want to be Great Britain.”“Mr Farage kept on saying GDP is not important. GDP is the size of our economy. It is the size of all the wealth our economy creates,” he said. “We don’t want to be little England, we want to be Great Britain.”
Farage told the audience that he was fighting for the rights of immigrants from the “Commonwealth”. On the comments about sex attacks, he complained that he had been demonised, suggesting that Welby should read his actual quotes rather than the headlines. The prime minister sought to associate the wider leave campaign with his Ukip opponent after the chancellor, George Osborne, suggested that his Conservative colleagues campaigning for out were fighting for a vision of “Farage’s Britain”.
However, Farage appeared to stand by his earlier remarks, saying that sex attacks were a “huge issue” in Germany. “A very large number of young single males have settled who come from cultures where attitudes are very different,” he said,. Farage rejected the idea that he was divisive or racist, telling the audience that he was fighting for the rights of immigrants from the Commonwealth. On the comments about sex attacks, in which he warned that the issue was the referendum’s “nuclear bomb”, he complained that he had been demonised, suggesting that Welby should read his actual quotes rather than the headlines.
Reacting to the debate, Tom Watson, the deputy Labour leader, said Farage “got flustered and hectored the audience”. However, Farage repeated earlier arguments, saying that sex attacks were a “huge issue” in Germany. “A very large number of young single males have settled who come from cultures where attitudes are very different,” he said.
“Farage had a big job to do and he failed. Cameron did his job adequately. The frustration as a Labour politician is that we could not talk about our distinct message on the EU that yes, it’s a single market but it also offers full workplace protections and we don’t want a race to the bottom on workplace rights. But I guess we couldn’t expect David Cameron to make that case.” The Tory business minister, Anna Soubry, accused Farage of an “awful, patronising, slightly chauvinistic attitude” towards the female questioner whom he told to calm down.
Vote Leave accused the prime minister of being dishonest about being able to turn away terrorists, killers and rapists. “That’s the trouble with Nigel: he’s a prickly pear really and he doesn’t like it up him when someone asks him a tough question.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the prime minister was challenged to a head-to-head TV debate by Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, after he accused the leave campaign of telling six lies about the EU. Tom Watson, the deputy Labour leader, said Farage “got flustered and hectored the audience” and Cameron did an adequate job. But he also said he wished that Labour had the chance to put across “our distinct message on the EU” about workers’ rights.
A spokesman for Farage rejected the idea that Scotland would be granted a second referendum, while the Conservative out campaigner, David Davis, said Cameron’s warning of a UK break up was “a scare story and a very, very, ill-founded one”.
Vote Leave, the official out campaign, did not attend the event after reacting furiously to ITV’s decision to please Downing Street by fielding Farage rather than a senior Conservative figure linked to their group.
They accused the prime minister of telling “five outright lies”, including about being able to remove EU jobseekers after six months, or stopping foreign criminals walking into the UK.
Earlier on Tuesday, Cameron was challenged to a head-to-head TV debate by Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, after he accused the leave campaign of telling six lies about the EU.
Hours after Cameron said they were “peddling nonsense” and “resorting to total untruths”, the two leading Brexit campaigners said the public deserve to hear the arguments debated in person.Hours after Cameron said they were “peddling nonsense” and “resorting to total untruths”, the two leading Brexit campaigners said the public deserve to hear the arguments debated in person.
The prime minister has declined offers to do any one-on-one events as he does not want to be seen to attack senior Tory colleagues in the Brexit camp directly. Engaging in a head-to-head debate with another politician would also arguably raise the status of his opponent.The prime minister has declined offers to do any one-on-one events as he does not want to be seen to attack senior Tory colleagues in the Brexit camp directly. Engaging in a head-to-head debate with another politician would also arguably raise the status of his opponent.
Gove and Johnson said: “We think that the public deserve the chance to hear these issues debated face-to-face between the prime minister and a spokesman for Vote Leave so they can judge for themselves which is the safer choice on 23 June.Gove and Johnson said: “We think that the public deserve the chance to hear these issues debated face-to-face between the prime minister and a spokesman for Vote Leave so they can judge for themselves which is the safer choice on 23 June.
“The prime minister was absolutely right to hold this vote and allow ministers the chance to disagree with him. We hope that in the same spirit he will accept this invitation.”“The prime minister was absolutely right to hold this vote and allow ministers the chance to disagree with him. We hope that in the same spirit he will accept this invitation.”
Earlier, Cameron gave a surprise press conference to accuse the leaders of the Vote Leave camp of lying, amid signs of rising concern in Downing Street about the Brexit camp gaining momentum. In recent days some phone polls have shown that the leave group is ahead.Earlier, Cameron gave a surprise press conference to accuse the leaders of the Vote Leave camp of lying, amid signs of rising concern in Downing Street about the Brexit camp gaining momentum. In recent days some phone polls have shown that the leave group is ahead.
Appearing on a rooftop in central London next to a union flag, he said it was a highly “significant moment” that the chair of the US Federal Reserve, the head of the World Trade Organisation, and the chairman of Hitachi were all warning against Britain leaving the EU. Asked if the hastily arranged event was a sign of alarm, the prime minister said “not at all” but he wanted to make sure he had debunked all the untruths being told by leading Brexit campaigners.
“Credible experts warning about risks to our economic security on one side and a series of assertions that turn out to be completely untrue on the other,” he said.
Cameron said he called the press conference after he watched some of the warnings aired on the Monday evening news, but he faced questions from the press about the polls showing a lead in the number of people supporting a British exit.
Asked if it was a sign of alarm, the prime minister said “not at all” but he wanted to make sure he had debunked all the untruths being told by leading Brexit campaigners.