This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/21/ukip-faces-utter-marginalisation-if-it-embraces-hard-right-says-nigel-farage
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Ukip faces 'utter marginalisation' if it embraces hard right, says Farage | Ukip faces 'utter marginalisation' if it embraces hard right, says Farage |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| Ukip faces “utter marginalisation” if it continues along its current hard-right direction, Nigel Farage has said, as the party he formerly led opened its annual conference with a range of new policies targeting Muslims and equalities laws. | Ukip faces “utter marginalisation” if it continues along its current hard-right direction, Nigel Farage has said, as the party he formerly led opened its annual conference with a range of new policies targeting Muslims and equalities laws. |
| Further shift to right by Ukip may prompt party exodus, say insiders | Further shift to right by Ukip may prompt party exodus, say insiders |
| Farage, who stepped down as Ukip leader after the EU referendum in 2016, criticised the current leader, Gerard Batten, for seeking to bring in Tommy Robinson, the far-right anti-Muslim activist and founder of the English Defence League. | Farage, who stepped down as Ukip leader after the EU referendum in 2016, criticised the current leader, Gerard Batten, for seeking to bring in Tommy Robinson, the far-right anti-Muslim activist and founder of the English Defence League. |
| Farage said it “really upsets” him that Ukip, which began its two-day conference in Birmingham on Friday, was even considering allowing entry to Robinson, the political stage name of Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. | Farage said it “really upsets” him that Ukip, which began its two-day conference in Birmingham on Friday, was even considering allowing entry to Robinson, the political stage name of Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. |
| “I’m less than impressed with the current direction in which we’re going,” Farage told the Press Association. “It devalues, undermines many of the incredible achievements.” | “I’m less than impressed with the current direction in which we’re going,” Farage told the Press Association. “It devalues, undermines many of the incredible achievements.” |
| Farage said Ukip was “in danger now unless it changes direction very, very quickly, of total and utter marginalisation”. | Farage said Ukip was “in danger now unless it changes direction very, very quickly, of total and utter marginalisation”. |
| Batten was to give his leader’s speech later on Friday, unveiling policy ideas that include Muslim-only prisons, special security screening for Muslim would-be immigrants and a repeal of equalities laws. | Batten was to give his leader’s speech later on Friday, unveiling policy ideas that include Muslim-only prisons, special security screening for Muslim would-be immigrants and a repeal of equalities laws. |
| Other policies put forward in an interim manifesto, which Batten said was aimed at making Ukip “a populist party in the real sense of the word”, include the abolition of the category of hate crime, as well as scrapping the Equalities and Human Rights Commission and the government’s equalities office. | Other policies put forward in an interim manifesto, which Batten said was aimed at making Ukip “a populist party in the real sense of the word”, include the abolition of the category of hate crime, as well as scrapping the Equalities and Human Rights Commission and the government’s equalities office. |
| It also calls for a national inquiry into the abuse of children and women by sexual grooming gangs, something it calls “one of the greatest social scandals in English history”. | It also calls for a national inquiry into the abuse of children and women by sexual grooming gangs, something it calls “one of the greatest social scandals in English history”. |
| Batten, speaking to Sky News ahead of the conference, denied he was taking the party to the far right, and said Farage was being hypocritical. | Batten, speaking to Sky News ahead of the conference, denied he was taking the party to the far right, and said Farage was being hypocritical. |
| “Nigel has gone to speak on platforms with Alternative für Deutschland, who a lot of people don’t like and call names,” he said. “He is entitled to do that, because they are democratic parties, and I am entitled to speak at rallies organised by people who believe in democracy. I think maybe he should be a little bit more careful about criticising me, because he has done similar things.” | “Nigel has gone to speak on platforms with Alternative für Deutschland, who a lot of people don’t like and call names,” he said. “He is entitled to do that, because they are democratic parties, and I am entitled to speak at rallies organised by people who believe in democracy. I think maybe he should be a little bit more careful about criticising me, because he has done similar things.” |
| Batten said he wanted to see Robinson join the party, but this would not happen in the near future, as the party’s rules currently prevent former EDL members from joining. | Batten said he wanted to see Robinson join the party, but this would not happen in the near future, as the party’s rules currently prevent former EDL members from joining. |
| Batten is vehement in his opinions on Islam, having described the religion as “a death cult”. He reiterated his views to Sky, saying: “If you look at any country in the world where Islam is predominant, they are either very repressive regimes or they are regimes that are in conflict internally. I think that’s something we have to be very wary of.” | Batten is vehement in his opinions on Islam, having described the religion as “a death cult”. He reiterated his views to Sky, saying: “If you look at any country in the world where Islam is predominant, they are either very repressive regimes or they are regimes that are in conflict internally. I think that’s something we have to be very wary of.” |
| However, in his speech at the conference Batten avoided the subject, instead focusing on Brexit, saying the party, currently polling at 6% or 7%, could not be expected to win seats if there was an early general election but could “cause havoc” in marginal seats represented by remain-backing MPs. | However, in his speech at the conference Batten avoided the subject, instead focusing on Brexit, saying the party, currently polling at 6% or 7%, could not be expected to win seats if there was an early general election but could “cause havoc” in marginal seats represented by remain-backing MPs. |
| “We know where the remain MPs sit. We know where there are remain MPs in leave constituencies on narrow margins,” he said. “Remainers: we know where your constituencies are, and we are coming for you.” | “We know where the remain MPs sit. We know where there are remain MPs in leave constituencies on narrow margins,” he said. “Remainers: we know where your constituencies are, and we are coming for you.” |
| The new policy programme is likely to increase fears among more moderate Ukip members that he is seeking to create a nationalist, anti-Islam party. | The new policy programme is likely to increase fears among more moderate Ukip members that he is seeking to create a nationalist, anti-Islam party. |
| Two key themes are measures connected to what it described as “Islamic literalist and fundamentalist extremism”, and an emphasis on what the party called a threat to free speech “driven by the political doctrine of cultural Marxism”. | Two key themes are measures connected to what it described as “Islamic literalist and fundamentalist extremism”, and an emphasis on what the party called a threat to free speech “driven by the political doctrine of cultural Marxism”. |
| On Islam, it has proposed combating militancy in prisons with segregated sections of jails, or even entire jails, reserved for Muslim prisoners “who promote extremism or try to convert non-Islamic prisoners”. | On Islam, it has proposed combating militancy in prisons with segregated sections of jails, or even entire jails, reserved for Muslim prisoners “who promote extremism or try to convert non-Islamic prisoners”. |
| As part of a wider crackdown on immigration, the manifesto suggests arrivals from Muslim countries should face a “security-based screening policy” to check their views. | As part of a wider crackdown on immigration, the manifesto suggests arrivals from Muslim countries should face a “security-based screening policy” to check their views. |
| Ukip's Gerard Batten reiterates his belief that Islam is a 'death cult' | Ukip's Gerard Batten reiterates his belief that Islam is a 'death cult' |
| Policies also include scrapping the concept of hate crimes, whereby prejudice can be considered an aggravating factor in offences. In addition to abolishing equalities organisations and banning positive discrimination, Ukip would aim to get rid of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and the British Council. | Policies also include scrapping the concept of hate crimes, whereby prejudice can be considered an aggravating factor in offences. In addition to abolishing equalities organisations and banning positive discrimination, Ukip would aim to get rid of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and the British Council. |
| Other mooted policies include overseas nationals having to live in the UK for five years before buying homes, rail nationalisation, and the abolition of the Crown Prosecution Service, the Climate Change Act, the BBC licence fee, inheritance tax and stamp duty. | Other mooted policies include overseas nationals having to live in the UK for five years before buying homes, rail nationalisation, and the abolition of the Crown Prosecution Service, the Climate Change Act, the BBC licence fee, inheritance tax and stamp duty. |
| Batten, who took over on a one-year interim term with a mission to stabilise a party that has floundered since Farage stood down, faces dissent from a number of insiders. Some senior figures have predicted that he could face mass departures if he moves Ukip further to the hard right. | Batten, who took over on a one-year interim term with a mission to stabilise a party that has floundered since Farage stood down, faces dissent from a number of insiders. Some senior figures have predicted that he could face mass departures if he moves Ukip further to the hard right. |
| UK Independence party (Ukip) | UK Independence party (Ukip) |
| The far right | The far right |
| Nigel Farage | Nigel Farage |
| Tommy Robinson | Tommy Robinson |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |