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Nigel Farage defends Ukip byelection candidate over anti-gay remarks Nigel Farage defends Ukip byelection candidate over anti-gay remarks
(35 minutes later)
Most over-70s in Britain still feel uncomfortable about homosexuality, Ukip leader Nigel Farage has said. Most over-70s in Britain still feel uncomfortable about homosexuality, the Ukip leader, Nigel Farage, has said.
The politician made the claim as he defended Roger Helmer, the Ukip byelection candidate in Newark, who previously said in a pamphlet from 2000 that homosexuality is "abnormal" and "undesirable". Helmer also questioned the concept of homophobia, and compared allowing equal marriage to legalising incest. The politician made the claim as he defended Roger Helmer, the Ukip byelection candidate in Newark, who said in a pamphlet from 2000 that homosexuality is "abnormal" and "undesirable". Helmer also questioned the concept of homophobia, and compared allowing equal marriage to legalising incest.
Defending his candidate, Farage argued that many older people are not happy with the idea of homosexuality, let alone the idea of gay people marrying. Defending his candidate, Farage argued that many older people were not happy with the idea of homosexuality, let alone the idea of gay people marrying.
The Ukip leader has repeatedly sidestepped questions about whether he supports gay weddings, retracting a statement from the party saying it would not repeal same-sex marriage legislation. The Ukip leader has repeatedly sidestepped questions about whether he supports gay weddings, retracting a statement from his party saying it would not repeal same-sex marriage legislation.
He told BBC1's Sunday Politics: "Roger Helmer is fighting this byelection for us; he's somebody of 70 years of age who grew up with a strong Christian Bible background. He grew up in an age when homosexuality was actually imprisonable, and he had a certain set of views which he maintained for many years which he now says he accepts the world's moved on and he's relaxed about."He told BBC1's Sunday Politics: "Roger Helmer is fighting this byelection for us; he's somebody of 70 years of age who grew up with a strong Christian Bible background. He grew up in an age when homosexuality was actually imprisonable, and he had a certain set of views which he maintained for many years which he now says he accepts the world's moved on and he's relaxed about."
Farage also pointed out that the comments were made when Helmer was a Conservative MEP and not a member of Ukip. Farage also pointed out that the comments were made when Helmer was a Conservative MEP and not a member of Ukip. "I've never seen a single comment from Roger Helmer on race that would be deemed to be offensive, ever. Really," Farage said.
"I've never seen a single comment from Roger Helmer on race that would be deemed to be offensive, ever. Really," Farage said. Helmer himself has said he now accepts gay marriage and told the Guardian last week that he had modified his views after "catching the zeitgeist".
Helmer himself has said he now accepts gay marriage, and told the Guardian last week that he had modified his views after "catching the zeitgeist". Farage's comments come just a few days after Harry Perry, a Ukip local council candidate in Stockport, was suspended for branding David Cameron a "gay-loving nutcase".
Farage's comments come just a few days after Harry Perry, Ukip local council candidate in Stockport, was suspended for branding David Cameron a "gay-loving nutcase". Farage also gave his support to Victoria Ayling, who has just been selected as a Ukip parliamentary candidate despite having been recorded on tape saying of immigrants: "I just want to send the lot back."
Farage also gave his support to Victoria Ayling, who has just been selected as a Ukip parliamentary candidate, despite having been recorded on tape saying of immigrants: "I just want to send the lot back." The Ukip leader claimed the Lincolnshire county councillor had been misquoted and she had only been referring to migrant workers who were in the country illegally. "I've seen the tape and it's a complete misquote, and she says it in the context of illegal immigrants, and she says: 'That's what I'd like to say, but now I can't say it."
The Ukip leader claimed the Lincolnshire county councillor had been misquoted and she had only been referring to migrant workers who were in the country illegally. Deflecting the questions about his candidates, Farage said: "This is all very interesting, and we can talk about this, or what we could talk about is the fact that in 12 days' time, we have a national election – a European election – and every voter across the United Kingdom can vote in it and it's really interesting."
"I've seen the tape and it's a complete misquote, and she says it in the context of illegal immigrants, and she says 'that's what I'd like to say, but now I can't say it'."
Deflecting the questions about his candidates, Farage said: "This is all very interesting, and we can talk about this, or what we could talk about is the fact that in 12 days' time, we have a national election – a European election – and every voter across the United Kingdom can vote in it, and it's really interesting."