Nigel Farage would axe 'much of' race discrimination laws
UKIP would scrap much of the legislation designed to prevent racial discrimination in work, party leader Nigel Farage has said.
He was speaking in a Channel 4 documentary to be shown next week.
Downing Street said his comments were "deeply concerning", while Labour branded them "shocking".
Mr Farage told the BBC his remarks, recorded last autumn, had been "wilfully misinterpreted", saying he was talking about nationality not race.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today Programme he said he was making the point that employers should be able to discriminate in favour of British workers.
"I didn't mention race at all. There was no part of that interview which I ever said it at all.
"What I said was that I do believe there should be a presumption for British employers in favour of them employing British people as opposed to somebody from Poland. That is exactly what I said," he added
The Channel 4 programme makers say they have not misrepresented Mr Farage's views.
"He was asked a direct question on whether there would be a law against discrimination on the grounds of race or colour and he replied no," they said.
'Colour-blind'
Mr Farage's original comments came during an interview with the former head of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, Trevor Phillips, for a Channel 4 documentary called Things We Won't Say About Race That Are True.
He said that while concern over preventing racial discrimination in employment "would probably have been valid" 40 years ago, it is not today.
"If I talked to my children... about the question of race, they wouldn't know what I was talking about," he was reported to say.
He also said he would get rid of "much of" existing legislation.
Analysis, BBC political correspondent Robin Brant
Nigel Farage the libertarian is back. Or at least that is one way of reading it. Race discrimination laws are no longer needed he says. It is a state intervention that time has made redundant.
The problem, as he sees it, is a form of national discrimination; forced upon the UK by Brussels.
As the UK economy recovers, UKIP believes Britons are only partly benefitting. From Clacton to Castle Point to Cleethorpes - key areas for Nigel Farage's party in the general election - UKIP thinks the fall in unemployment has seen jobs go to Europeans over, or as well as, Brits.
"British jobs for British workers" (as former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown once said) is the answer, according to the UKIP leader.
Do not forget that the current Labour leader, Ed Miliband, wants to change things that he thinks are making the labour market unfair for British workers, by stopping firms recruiting solely from abroad.
And when asked if he would retain a ban on discrimination on the grounds of race or colour, he said: "No... because we take the view, we are colour-blind. We as a party are colour-blind."
Criticising recruitment laws, he said: "I think the employer should be much freer to make decisions on who she or he employs.
"I think the situation that we now have, where an employer is not allowed to choose between a British-born person and somebody from Poland, is a ludicrous state of affairs.
"I would argue that the law does need changing, and that if an employer wishes to choose, or you can use the word 'discriminate' if you want to, but wishes to choose to employ a British-born person, they should be allowed to do so."
What are the race discrimination laws?
Trevor Phillips chaired the Equality and Human Rights Commission
The 1965 Race Relations Act was the first legislation in the UK to outlaw racial discrimination in public places
It forbid discrimination on the "grounds of colour, race, or ethnic or national origins" in public places and covered both British residents and overseas visitors
The law was tightened up in 1968 when racial discrimination was extended to include employment and housing
It was further extended in 1976 to identify direct and indirect discrimination and establish the Commission for Racial Equality
The Equality Act 2010, begun under Labour and introduced by the coalition, simplified and strengthened the law
It makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against employees because of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin
There are four main types of racial discrimination: direct, indirect, victimisation and harassment
Positive action is only allowed if a particular racial group suffers a disadvantage, is disproportionately under represented or has needs that are different from those of other racial groups in the workforce
Employers can only take positive action if it is a proportionate way of tackling the under representation of a particular racial group, without discriminating against others
Positive discrimination, which can be regarded as preferential treatment of member of a minority group, is different, and is illegal in Great Britain.
Asked about his remarks on Today, Mr Farage said: "My comments have been wilfully misinterpreted. I have made no comments about the Race Relations Act at all.
"I have made comments in favour of British people getting jobs over and above those from southern eastern Europe."
The UKIP leader said he was speaking up for Britain's unemployed youth "both black and white", saying the young black community had suffered the biggest rise in unemployment as a result of immigration.
He said Gordon Brown, as Labour prime minister, spoke of British jobs for British workers, adding: "Well I'm saying it and really meaning it."
Downing Street described Nigel Farage's call to scrap equalities legislation as "deeply concerning".
"Nigel Farage is wrong and desperate for attention. The laws are there to protect people from racial discrimination," Number 10 said.
'Strongly disagree'
Labour leader Ed Miliband said Mr Farage's comments were "wrong, divisive and dangerous", and accused him of "stoking up division".
He said the current equality laws represented British values, adding that he was "proud of the fact we're a tolerant country".
The party's shadow justice secretary, Sadiq Khan, accused Mr Farage of "breathtaking ignorance" and said it was troubling to hear a mainstream politician make such comments.
He said signs saying "no blacks" or "no Irish" were regularly seen in the UK when his parents moved to the country but anti-discrimination laws had put an end to this.
"But to think we're in a state of utopia, where discrimination doesn't exist on the grounds of races or ethnic origin is ridiculous," Mr Khan said.
Sadiq Khan: "Nigel Farage has shown breathtaking ignorance"
To repeal the laws could mean an employer choosing someone on the colour of their skin or a landlord choosing a tenant based on their race, he warned.
Liberal Democrat leader and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg was asked about Mr Farage's comments during his weekly radio phone-in on LBC.
He told the programme he "strongly disagreed" with what Mr Farage said, adding that "discrimination laws are there for a reason."
Tribunal fees
He said the UKIP leader was "irresponsible" to conflate issues with employment legislation to problems like violent extremism and Sharia law.
Meanwhile, Unite union general secretary Len McCluskey accused Mr Farage of "dangerous crude dog whistle politics".
He said the UKIP leader was "naive" to think that racism was no longer a problem in the UK employment market.
There were 3,064 race discrimination cases in 2013-14, down from 4,818 in the previous year.
The sharp fall came in the same year the government introduced fees to begin proceedings at an Employment Tribunal, to reduce their numbers.
Asked about his remarks on Today, Mr Farage said: "My comments have been wilfully misinterpreted. I have made no comments about the Race Relations Act at all.
"I have made comments in favour of British people getting jobs over and above those from southern eastern Europe.
The UKIP leader said he was speaking up for Britain's unemployed youth "both black and white", saying the young black community had suffered the biggest rise in unemployment as a result of immigration.
He said Gordon Brown, as Labour prime minister, spoke of British jobs for British workers, adding: "Well I'm saying it and really meaning it''
cant wait till nigel builds the great wall of britain and we can just be british for ever and ever and drink tea and watch the kate middleton play badminton
cant wait till nigel builds the great wall of britain and we can just be british for ever and ever and drink tea and watch the kate middleton play badminton
Where has he suggested that he wants to do this? Do you not understand?
British people are the ones out of work and they're also our primary concern. He is saying that we should have positive discrimination for British people, instead of for the cheapest option (i.e. foreign workers who will take lower salaries).
I am against positive discrimination in all forms BUT, and this is an Amber Rose like BUT, in this case he may well have a point. He needs to give more concrete examples of the types of job he is talking about though, and give some realistic numbers.
cant wait till nigel builds the great wall of britain and we can just be british for ever and ever and drink tea and watch the kate middleton play badminton
Can tell someone been watching too much mainstream media news
cant wait till nigel builds the great wall of britain and we can just be british for ever and ever and drink tea and watch the kate middleton play badminton
Can tell someone been watching too much mainstream media news
Fuuck sake Thun, ALL media is biased bullshit.
I agree what Nigel says, but instead of saying race law should be abolished should say British people, no matter what colour or race or religion, will take presidency over foreigners.
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Nigel Farage would axe 'much of' race discrimination laws
UKIP would scrap much of the legislation designed to prevent racial discrimination in work, party leader Nigel Farage has said.
He was speaking in a Channel 4 documentary to be shown next week.
Downing Street said his comments were "deeply concerning", while Labour branded them "shocking".
Mr Farage told the BBC his remarks, recorded last autumn, had been "wilfully misinterpreted", saying he was talking about nationality not race.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today Programme he said he was making the point that employers should be able to discriminate in favour of British workers.
"I didn't mention race at all. There was no part of that interview which I ever said it at all.
"What I said was that I do believe there should be a presumption for British employers in favour of them employing British people as opposed to somebody from Poland. That is exactly what I said," he added
"He was asked a direct question on whether there would be a law against discrimination on the grounds of race or colour and he replied no," they said.
'Colour-blind'
Mr Farage's original comments came during an interview with the former head of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, Trevor Phillips, for a Channel 4 documentary called Things We Won't Say About Race That Are True.
He said that while concern over preventing racial discrimination in employment "would probably have been valid" 40 years ago, it is not today.
"If I talked to my children... about the question of race, they wouldn't know what I was talking about," he was reported to say.
He also said he would get rid of "much of" existing legislation.
Analysis, BBC political correspondent Robin Brant
Nigel Farage the libertarian is back. Or at least that is one way of reading it. Race discrimination laws are no longer needed he says. It is a state intervention that time has made redundant.
The problem, as he sees it, is a form of national discrimination; forced upon the UK by Brussels.
As the UK economy recovers, UKIP believes Britons are only partly benefitting. From Clacton to Castle Point to Cleethorpes - key areas for Nigel Farage's party in the general election - UKIP thinks the fall in unemployment has seen jobs go to Europeans over, or as well as, Brits.
"British jobs for British workers" (as former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown once said) is the answer, according to the UKIP leader.
Do not forget that the current Labour leader, Ed Miliband, wants to change things that he thinks are making the labour market unfair for British workers, by stopping firms recruiting solely from abroad.
And when asked if he would retain a ban on discrimination on the grounds of race or colour, he said: "No... because we take the view, we are colour-blind. We as a party are colour-blind."
Criticising recruitment laws, he said: "I think the employer should be much freer to make decisions on who she or he employs.
"I think the situation that we now have, where an employer is not allowed to choose between a British-born person and somebody from Poland, is a ludicrous state of affairs.
"I would argue that the law does need changing, and that if an employer wishes to choose, or you can use the word 'discriminate' if you want to, but wishes to choose to employ a British-born person, they should be allowed to do so."
What are the race discrimination laws?
Asked about his remarks on Today, Mr Farage said: "My comments have been wilfully misinterpreted. I have made no comments about the Race Relations Act at all.
"I have made comments in favour of British people getting jobs over and above those from southern eastern Europe."
The UKIP leader said he was speaking up for Britain's unemployed youth "both black and white", saying the young black community had suffered the biggest rise in unemployment as a result of immigration.
He said Gordon Brown, as Labour prime minister, spoke of British jobs for British workers, adding: "Well I'm saying it and really meaning it."
Downing Street described Nigel Farage's call to scrap equalities legislation as "deeply concerning".
"Nigel Farage is wrong and desperate for attention. The laws are there to protect people from racial discrimination," Number 10 said.
'Strongly disagree'
Labour leader Ed Miliband said Mr Farage's comments were "wrong, divisive and dangerous", and accused him of "stoking up division".
He said the current equality laws represented British values, adding that he was "proud of the fact we're a tolerant country".
The party's shadow justice secretary, Sadiq Khan, accused Mr Farage of "breathtaking ignorance" and said it was troubling to hear a mainstream politician make such comments.
He said signs saying "no blacks" or "no Irish" were regularly seen in the UK when his parents moved to the country but anti-discrimination laws had put an end to this.
"But to think we're in a state of utopia, where discrimination doesn't exist on the grounds of races or ethnic origin is ridiculous," Mr Khan said.
Sadiq Khan: "Nigel Farage has shown breathtaking ignorance"
To repeal the laws could mean an employer choosing someone on the colour of their skin or a landlord choosing a tenant based on their race, he warned.
Liberal Democrat leader and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg was asked about Mr Farage's comments during his weekly radio phone-in on LBC.
He told the programme he "strongly disagreed" with what Mr Farage said, adding that "discrimination laws are there for a reason."
Tribunal fees
He said the UKIP leader was "irresponsible" to conflate issues with employment legislation to problems like violent extremism and Sharia law.
Meanwhile, Unite union general secretary Len McCluskey accused Mr Farage of "dangerous crude dog whistle politics".
He said the UKIP leader was "naive" to think that racism was no longer a problem in the UK employment market.
There were 3,064 race discrimination cases in 2013-14, down from 4,818 in the previous year.
The sharp fall came in the same year the government introduced fees to begin proceedings at an Employment Tribunal, to reduce their numbers.
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Thun
Asked about his remarks on Today, Mr Farage said: "My comments have been wilfully misinterpreted. I have made no comments about the Race Relations Act at all.
"I have made comments in favour of British people getting jobs over and above those from southern eastern Europe.
The UKIP leader said he was speaking up for Britain's unemployed youth "both black and white", saying the young black community had suffered the biggest rise in unemployment as a result of immigration.
He said Gordon Brown, as Labour prime minister, spoke of British jobs for British workers, adding: "Well I'm saying it and really meaning it''
Twisting his words again
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Niall Ferguson
I agree.
Thun, PM me please.
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Gambino
What's that, Nigel talking sense again. It's a bit of a trend this.
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Gambino
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james00
cant wait till nigel builds the great wall of britain and we can just be british for ever and ever and drink tea and watch the kate middleton play badminton
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Niall Ferguson
Where has he suggested that he wants to do this? Do you not understand?
British people are the ones out of work and they're also our primary concern. He is saying that we should have positive discrimination for British people, instead of for the cheapest option (i.e. foreign workers who will take lower salaries).
I am against positive discrimination in all forms BUT, and this is an Amber Rose like BUT, in this case he may well have a point. He needs to give more concrete examples of the types of job he is talking about though, and give some realistic numbers.
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Badman
He speaks the truth, I dont see what the issue is
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Thun
Can tell someone been watching too much mainstream media news
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Da Luv Doc
Fuuck sake Thun, ALL media is biased bullshit.
I agree what Nigel says, but instead of saying race law should be abolished should say British people, no matter what colour or race or religion, will take presidency over foreigners.
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Gambino
I'm confused. That's what he did say.
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underwriter
bhjgf vbnjbvughj bhougyctbhjuhugfyvuhbjuigyvbjijpihnopjihbu
with his cynical tone lmfaooo
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