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British anti-immigration party mocked after mistaking Westminster Cathedral for a mosque British anti-immigration party mocked after mistaking Westminster Cathedral for a mosque
(about 1 hour later)
Over the past few years, United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) has become a big deal in British politics. Their anti-immigration policies and opposition to the European Union have won them two seats in the House of Parliament and may get them a few more if right-wing Conservative party members defect before next year's election. However, the party's critics say that the populism the UKIP espouses can lend itself to xenophobia or racism.Over the past few years, United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) has become a big deal in British politics. Their anti-immigration policies and opposition to the European Union have won them two seats in the House of Parliament and may get them a few more if right-wing Conservative party members defect before next year's election. However, the party's critics say that the populism the UKIP espouses can lend itself to xenophobia or racism.
On Tuesday, the BBC's "Daily Politics" show attempted to address the controversy, by holding a straw poll in London and asking random members of the public if UKIP leader Nigel Farage had what it takes to be prime minister. It soon became an embarrassment for UKIP, but not for the reasons you might expect.On Tuesday, the BBC's "Daily Politics" show attempted to address the controversy, by holding a straw poll in London and asking random members of the public if UKIP leader Nigel Farage had what it takes to be prime minister. It soon became an embarrassment for UKIP, but not for the reasons you might expect.
Has @Nigel_Farage got what it takes to be PM? See how the balls fall in @reporterboy film on Tue #bbcdp after 1200 pic.twitter.com/0rtIoW1KrK — DailySunday Politics (@daily_politics) November 25, 2014Has @Nigel_Farage got what it takes to be PM? See how the balls fall in @reporterboy film on Tue #bbcdp after 1200 pic.twitter.com/0rtIoW1KrK — DailySunday Politics (@daily_politics) November 25, 2014
Has @Nigel_Farage got what it takes to be PM? See how the balls fall in @reporterboy film on Tue #bbcdp after 1200 pic.twitter.com/0rtIoW1KrKHas @Nigel_Farage got what it takes to be PM? See how the balls fall in @reporterboy film on Tue #bbcdp after 1200 pic.twitter.com/0rtIoW1KrK
— DailySunday Politics (@daily_politics) November 25, 2014— DailySunday Politics (@daily_politics) November 25, 2014
You can see the BBC's segment here:You can see the BBC's segment here:
UKIP now has two MPs and has been rising in the polls, but do people see the party as a serious political force... http://t.co/dDhct2B7U6 — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) November 25, 2014UKIP now has two MPs and has been rising in the polls, but do people see the party as a serious political force... http://t.co/dDhct2B7U6 — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) November 25, 2014
UKIP now has two MPs and has been rising in the polls, but do people see the party as a serious political force... http://t.co/dDhct2B7U6UKIP now has two MPs and has been rising in the polls, but do people see the party as a serious political force... http://t.co/dDhct2B7U6
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) November 25, 2014— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) November 25, 2014
As you can see, the "no" vote wins. That's not that surprising: It's hardly a vigorous poll, and UKIP has struggled in London.As you can see, the "no" vote wins. That's not that surprising: It's hardly a vigorous poll, and UKIP has struggled in London.
UKIP was apparently not pleased with the story. A Twitter account run by the party's South Thanet branch responded by asking why the poll had been held outside of "a mosque."UKIP was apparently not pleased with the story. A Twitter account run by the party's South Thanet branch responded by asking why the poll had been held outside of "a mosque."
@Nigel_Farage constituency representatives believes Westminster Cathedral is a mosque @ukip_sththanet #mosquegate pic.twitter.com/FghuDg0PGt — Chris D'Agorne (@Chris_DAgorne) November 25, 2014@Nigel_Farage constituency representatives believes Westminster Cathedral is a mosque @ukip_sththanet #mosquegate pic.twitter.com/FghuDg0PGt — Chris D'Agorne (@Chris_DAgorne) November 25, 2014
@Nigel_Farage constituency representatives believes Westminster Cathedral is a mosque @ukip_sththanet #mosquegate pic.twitter.com/FghuDg0PGt@Nigel_Farage constituency representatives believes Westminster Cathedral is a mosque @ukip_sththanet #mosquegate pic.twitter.com/FghuDg0PGt
— Chris D'Agorne (@Chris_DAgorne) November 25, 2014— Chris D'Agorne (@Chris_DAgorne) November 25, 2014
The problem was that this wasn't a mosque. It was, in fact, a cathedral. And not just any cathedral, but Westminster Cathedral, the most important Catholic cathedral in the entire country.The problem was that this wasn't a mosque. It was, in fact, a cathedral. And not just any cathedral, but Westminster Cathedral, the most important Catholic cathedral in the entire country.
The building's Neo-Byzantine style is, to be fair, relatively rare for a church in Britain. But it is definitely not a mosque.The building's Neo-Byzantine style is, to be fair, relatively rare for a church in Britain. But it is definitely not a mosque.
The next day, Alex Andreou, an actor and writer, decided to point out some other things that are not mosques. The hashtag #thingsthatarenotmosques soon became popular on Twitter.The next day, Alex Andreou, an actor and writer, decided to point out some other things that are not mosques. The hashtag #thingsthatarenotmosques soon became popular on Twitter.
#ThingsThatAreNotMosques @Nigel_Farage pic.twitter.com/2qdbOJe3TT — Alex Andreou (@sturdyAlex) November 26, 2014#ThingsThatAreNotMosques @Nigel_Farage pic.twitter.com/2qdbOJe3TT — Alex Andreou (@sturdyAlex) November 26, 2014
#ThingsThatAreNotMosques @Nigel_Farage pic.twitter.com/2qdbOJe3TT#ThingsThatAreNotMosques @Nigel_Farage pic.twitter.com/2qdbOJe3TT
— Alex Andreou (@sturdyAlex) November 26, 2014— Alex Andreou (@sturdyAlex) November 26, 2014
Mosque-ow. #thingsthatarenotmosques pic.twitter.com/mBNXtZ5sTO — Tart of Darkness (@soapachu) November 26, 2014Mosque-ow. #thingsthatarenotmosques pic.twitter.com/mBNXtZ5sTO — Tart of Darkness (@soapachu) November 26, 2014
Mosque-ow. #thingsthatarenotmosques pic.twitter.com/mBNXtZ5sTOMosque-ow. #thingsthatarenotmosques pic.twitter.com/mBNXtZ5sTO
— Tart of Darkness (@soapachu) November 26, 2014— Tart of Darkness (@soapachu) November 26, 2014
This is not a Mosque, but those gentlemen look decidedly 'Foreign' don't they?#ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/y6POok2PUq — Steven Moore (@MrStevenMoore) November 26, 2014This is not a Mosque, but those gentlemen look decidedly 'Foreign' don't they?#ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/y6POok2PUq — Steven Moore (@MrStevenMoore) November 26, 2014
This is not a Mosque, but those gentlemen look decidedly 'Foreign' don't they?#ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/y6POok2PUqThis is not a Mosque, but those gentlemen look decidedly 'Foreign' don't they?#ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/y6POok2PUq
— Steven Moore (@MrStevenMoore) November 26, 2014— Steven Moore (@MrStevenMoore) November 26, 2014
#ThingsThatAreNotMosques But it's got a dome, it must be a mosque?! pic.twitter.com/hw61pPBBa4 — Edward James (@edwardajames) November 26, 2014#ThingsThatAreNotMosques But it's got a dome, it must be a mosque?! pic.twitter.com/hw61pPBBa4 — Edward James (@edwardajames) November 26, 2014
#ThingsThatAreNotMosques But it's got a dome, it must be a mosque?! pic.twitter.com/hw61pPBBa4#ThingsThatAreNotMosques But it's got a dome, it must be a mosque?! pic.twitter.com/hw61pPBBa4
— Edward James (@edwardajames) November 26, 2014— Edward James (@edwardajames) November 26, 2014
@sturdyAlex @Nigel_Farage Moccasins #ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/QNmGSEm21j — Scott Taylor (@SCO_77) November 26, 2014@sturdyAlex @Nigel_Farage Moccasins #ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/QNmGSEm21j — Scott Taylor (@SCO_77) November 26, 2014
@sturdyAlex @Nigel_Farage Moccasins #ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/QNmGSEm21j@sturdyAlex @Nigel_Farage Moccasins #ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/QNmGSEm21j
— Scott Taylor (@SCO_77) November 26, 2014— Scott Taylor (@SCO_77) November 26, 2014
Cardiff City Hall. Definitely not a minaret, and definitely not a dome. #ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/GXhbnKlxCJ — Abdul-Azim Ahmed (@AbdulAzim) November 26, 2014Cardiff City Hall. Definitely not a minaret, and definitely not a dome. #ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/GXhbnKlxCJ — Abdul-Azim Ahmed (@AbdulAzim) November 26, 2014
Cardiff City Hall. Definitely not a minaret, and definitely not a dome. #ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/GXhbnKlxCJCardiff City Hall. Definitely not a minaret, and definitely not a dome. #ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/GXhbnKlxCJ
— Abdul-Azim Ahmed (@AbdulAzim) November 26, 2014— Abdul-Azim Ahmed (@AbdulAzim) November 26, 2014
#ThingsThatAreNotMosques @Nigel_Farage pic.twitter.com/gtQOx2Sm7c — Hayley Webster (@HayleyBooks) November 26, 2014#ThingsThatAreNotMosques @Nigel_Farage pic.twitter.com/gtQOx2Sm7c — Hayley Webster (@HayleyBooks) November 26, 2014
#ThingsThatAreNotMosques @Nigel_Farage pic.twitter.com/gtQOx2Sm7c#ThingsThatAreNotMosques @Nigel_Farage pic.twitter.com/gtQOx2Sm7c
— Hayley Webster (@HayleyBooks) November 26, 2014— Hayley Webster (@HayleyBooks) November 26, 2014
#NotWhite, can't speak English, took all our toast and custard, and building a tubby mosque #ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/y0EHzHjwqu — Jayke Harrison (@JaykeHarrison) November 27, 2014#NotWhite, can't speak English, took all our toast and custard, and building a tubby mosque #ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/y0EHzHjwqu — Jayke Harrison (@JaykeHarrison) November 27, 2014
#NotWhite, can't speak English, took all our toast and custard, and building a tubby mosque #ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/y0EHzHjwqu#NotWhite, can't speak English, took all our toast and custard, and building a tubby mosque #ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/y0EHzHjwqu
— Jayke Harrison (@JaykeHarrison) November 27, 2014— Jayke Harrison (@JaykeHarrison) November 27, 2014
The meme even found itself on Wikipedia.The meme even found itself on Wikipedia.
glad someone cleared that up #ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/P9FJAFUDR8 — Adam Taylor (@mradamtaylor) November 27, 2014glad someone cleared that up #ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/P9FJAFUDR8 — Adam Taylor (@mradamtaylor) November 27, 2014
glad someone cleared that up #ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/P9FJAFUDR8glad someone cleared that up #ThingsThatAreNotMosques pic.twitter.com/P9FJAFUDR8
— Adam Taylor (@mradamtaylor) November 27, 2014— Adam Taylor (@mradamtaylor) November 27, 2014
For many, the case of mistaken identity highlighted one of the biggest criticisms of UKIP: That their anti-immigration policies can sometimes verge into Islamophobia. Just six month ago, the party was forced to suspend one candidate after he tweeted a blanket statement of "Islam is evil." In 2013, the left-wing magazine the New Statesman examined their policies and came to the conclusion that UKIP stood for "bigotry light," in part due to candidates' repeated negative comments about Islam.For many, the case of mistaken identity highlighted one of the biggest criticisms of UKIP: That their anti-immigration policies can sometimes verge into Islamophobia. Just six month ago, the party was forced to suspend one candidate after he tweeted a blanket statement of "Islam is evil." In 2013, the left-wing magazine the New Statesman examined their policies and came to the conclusion that UKIP stood for "bigotry light," in part due to candidates' repeated negative comments about Islam.
UKIP leader Farage was himself forced to explain the situation. "Why don't your members in Thanet know the difference between a Mosque and the premier Catholic cathedral in the country?" the BBC's Andrew Neill asked Farage on Thursday. "Well the people's army are not all wholly trained," Farage said, with a smile. "They are enthusiastic volunteers and volunteers make mistakes!" UKIP leader Farage was himself forced to explain the situation. "Why don't your members in Thanet know the difference between a mosque and the premier Catholic cathedral in the country?" the BBC's Andrew Neill asked Farage on Thursday. "Well the people's army are not all wholly trained," Farage said, with a smile. "They are enthusiastic volunteers, and volunteers make mistakes!"
Still, given that one British opposition MP was forced to resign recently for a three word tweet, UKIP may be thinking about more training for their people's army before next year's big election. Still, given that one British opposition MP was forced to resign recently for a three-word tweet, UKIP may be thinking about more training for their people's army before next year's big election.