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Yvette Cooper and David Lammy attack Nigel Farage over 'racist' comments Yvette Cooper and David Lammy attack Nigel Farage over 'racist' comments
(about 3 hours later)
Nigel Farage's comments about Romanians have been branded racist by the shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, a former shadow minister, Diane Abbott, and the prominent Labour MP David Lammy, after the Ukip leader said people might not want to live next door to immigrants from the eastern European country. Nigel Farage's comments about Romanians have been branded racist by three prominent Labour figures – Yvette Cooper, Diane Abbott and David Lammy – after the Ukip leader said people might not want to live next door to immigrants from the eastern European country.
Just hours after Ed Miliband said Farage had made a racial slur but was not racist, his view was contradicted by Lammy. Farage declined the opportunity to apologise for his comments several times in an interview with the BBC. After a day of criticism from senior politicians of all parties, Farage was asked if Ukip were the Millwall FC of British politics. "Perhaps we are the Millwall... I think in Westminster we're loathed and feared," he replied.
The MP, whose parents are from Guyana, told the BBC's Daily Politics that Farage's comments reminded him of the racism encountered by his mother and father when they first came to the UK. Labour leader Ed Miliband earlier said Farage had made a racial slur but was not racist, but his view was contradicted by Lammy. The MP, whose parents are from Guyana, told the BBC's Daily Politics that Farage's comments reminded him of the racism encountered by his mother and father when they first came to the UK.
"What Nigel Farage said over the weekend was racist. So I'm clear, he's a racist," he said. "I am from a background where my parents arrived here as immigrants. I remember a context in which some people said: 'You don't want these people living next door to you.' That was racist.""What Nigel Farage said over the weekend was racist. So I'm clear, he's a racist," he said. "I am from a background where my parents arrived here as immigrants. I remember a context in which some people said: 'You don't want these people living next door to you.' That was racist."
Cooper then told ITV News that she thought the position taken by Farage was racist and the party should admit to being wrong. Cooper, the shadow home secretary, told ITV News "It's not racist to be worried about immigration or to want stronger controls, but it is racist to somehow stir up fears about Romanians living next door. So Ukip should say they were wrong on that," she said.
"It's not racist to be worried about immigration or to want stronger controls, but it is racist to somehow stir up fears about Romanians living next door. So Ukip should say they were wrong on that," she said. Abbott, a former shadow health minister, said "his remarks were racist" and she was "glad everybody has stopped pussyfooting around".
Abbott, a former shadow health minister, also told the Guardian "his remarks were racist" and she was "glad everybody has stopped pussyfooting around".
It comes after David Cameron described the comments as "pretty unpleasant" and accused Ukip figures of saying a "succession of pretty appalling things", but said he would leave others to judge.It comes after David Cameron described the comments as "pretty unpleasant" and accused Ukip figures of saying a "succession of pretty appalling things", but said he would leave others to judge.
Farage said in a Guardian interview that British people should be wary of Romanian families moving into their street. He subsequently repeated his position on LBC 97.3 Radio, saying people would know the difference between living next door to Romanian men and some German children.Farage said in a Guardian interview that British people should be wary of Romanian families moving into their street. He subsequently repeated his position on LBC 97.3 Radio, saying people would know the difference between living next door to Romanian men and some German children.
"I was asked if a group of Romanian men moved in next to you, would you be concerned? And if you lived in London, I think you would be," he told the interviewer, James O'Brien."I was asked if a group of Romanian men moved in next to you, would you be concerned? And if you lived in London, I think you would be," he told the interviewer, James O'Brien.
However, the Ukip leader backtracked from this stance on Sunday night, saying: "Do you know what, in life sometimes people get things wrong. However, the Ukip leader backtracked from this stance on Sunday night, saying: "Do you know what, in life sometimes people get things wrong. I regret the fact that I was completely tired out and I didn't use the form of words in response that I would have liked to have used."
"I regret the fact that I was completely tired out and I didn't use the form of words in response that I would have liked to have used. Ukip took out a full-page advertisement in the Daily Telegraph, insisting Ukip was not racist but warning about risks posed by organised criminal gangs from Romania. "The vast majority of Romanians who have come to the UK wish to better their lives and would make good neighbours.But there is a real problem, an unpalatable truth that our political class would rather not discuss. Since the welcome fall of communism and the awful dictator Ceausescu, Romania has struggled to complete a full transition into a western democracy," it said.
"I should have just hit back immediately and said: 'Look, understand there is a real problem here – you can't deny it – too much criminality from these gangs has come to London.'"
Ukip also took out a full-page advertisement in the Daily Telegraph to insist Ukip was not racist but warned about the risk posed by organised criminal gangs from Romania.
"Let me be clear, Ukip is not a racist party and our immigration policy, far from being racist, aims to end discrimination against non-Europeans.
"The vast majority of Romanians who have come to the UK wish to better their lives and would make good neighbours.
"But there is a real problem, an unpalatable truth that our political class would rather not discuss. Since the welcome fall of communism and the awful dictator Ceausescu, Romania has struggled to complete a full transition into a western democracy."
By leaving the EU and "taking back control of our borders" the UK could do the "necessary checks" on would-be immigrants, the open letter from Farage said.By leaving the EU and "taking back control of our borders" the UK could do the "necessary checks" on would-be immigrants, the open letter from Farage said.
"When this happens, my answer to the question: 'Should people be concerned if a group of Romanian men moved in next door?' will be no.""When this happens, my answer to the question: 'Should people be concerned if a group of Romanian men moved in next door?' will be no."
Despite Farage's statement of regret, Lammy said the comments were "deeply nasty" and must not be tolerated. The Ukip leader later told the BBC that he had not said people "should" be concerned but that they "would" be concerned and that he would not want to give the impression that he was discriminating against Romanians.
"We have seen this before in Europe, in times of recession and depression, and we must take that kind of slur extremely seriously," he said. On Sunday, the deputy prime minister,
Earlier, Miliband told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday morning: "I think our politics is disagreeable enough without political leaders saying about other political leaders 'they are a racist'. Nick Clegg, said Farage's remarks had revealed his "divisive, nasty approach" to politics.
The deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, said Farage's remarks had revealed his "divisive, nasty approach" to politics. "I think the mask is starting to slip and I think what's being revealed behind the beer-swilling bonhomie is a rather nasty view of the world," he told BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show.
"I think the mask is starting to slip and I think what's being revealed behind the beer-swilling bonhomie is a rather nasty view of the world," he told BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday.
"I think anyone who singles out one community, one nationality, and says: 'I don't want to live next door to them,' I really think that's the politics of division and I think it really should have no place in modern Britain.""I think anyone who singles out one community, one nationality, and says: 'I don't want to live next door to them,' I really think that's the politics of division and I think it really should have no place in modern Britain."
Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat business secretary, said Farage should not be getting involved in "national stereotyping".
Ukip is still a frontrunner to win the European elections this week, although Labour and the Conservatives have also topped some polls.Ukip is still a frontrunner to win the European elections this week, although Labour and the Conservatives have also topped some polls.
The party said on Monday morning that its membership was rising rapidly and was on course to reach 40,000 by July.The party said on Monday morning that its membership was rising rapidly and was on course to reach 40,000 by July.
"If we do well in the European elections, there is every prospect of an even bigger membership surge following over the summer," a spokesman said.
Farage's original comments
Nigel Farage was interviewed by the Guardian's Decca Aitkenhead in April.
Aitkenhead: Should British people be wary of Romanian families moving into their street?
Farage: Ask David Blunkett.
Aitkenhead: But I'm asking you the question. Should they?
Farage: Well of course, yeah.