UKIP is standing by racist parliamentary candidate for Ilford South Paul Wiffen, who spoke about "Muslim nutters" and "Romanian gypsies who beat their wives".
The UK Independence Party is today standing by its racist parliamentary candidate for Ilford South Paul Wiffen, saying that since he had “apologised” for his inflammatory remarks about “Left-wing scum”, “Romanian gypsies who beat their wives and children”, “Muslim nutters” and “Africans who sold their Afro-Carribean brothers into slavery”, he was free to carry on. The party has described his comments merely as “mistakes”, insisting they aren’t racist.
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Wiffen, who has been suspended as UKIP’s London chair but remains a party candidate, posted the abuse on the social work website “Community Care“. He says he did so to rebut “the lies about UKIP being a racist party”, adding: “I just saw red, and fired off an angry email.”
He was immediately condemned by the candidates for the three main parties. Labour incumbent Mike Gapes said there was an “unpleasant whiff about Mr Wiffen”, Tory PPC Toby Boutle said “it says a lot about UKIP that someone like this is their regional chairman in London” and Liberal Democrat candidate Anood Al-Samerai added: “I would not wish to see this man standing in Ilford South.” |
A spokesman for anti-racism campaign group Hope Not Hate told Left Foot Forward that UKIP had “some very odd views … possibly some of them are racist but not all”. In 2006, Conservative Party leader David Cameron had described UKIP as “closet racists“, telling LBC:
“Ukip is sort of a bunch of … fruit cakes and loonies and closet racists mostly.”
18 Responses to “The new BNP? UKIP stands by racist PPC”
Generalissimo
I think a sense of proportion is needed here. Wiffen sounds uncouth and certainly stupid, I would certainly never vote for somebody like that.
But ‘vile and Nazi’? That is demeaning to the victims of real racism and belittles the fight against genuine racism.
ClareSaxon
RT @leftfootfwd The new BNP? UKIP stands by racist PPC http://bit.ly/cT3L87
Aaarrgghh "There is an unpleasant whiff about Paul Wiffen" - Says Labout MP
[…] UKIP election candidate in racism row London chairman of Ukip suspended over racist remarks | News The new BNP? UKIP stands by racist PPC | Left Foot Forward Ukip's apology to the world has a hollow ring – Outside Left The Wiffen of Racism from UKIP in […]
Liz McShane
Anon- whether it’s racist or anti- religious it is still pure & inadulterated bigotry and should not be tolerated or tried to be justified . And we also know that anti-muslim remarks just like anti- catholic remarks are more than just attacking a religion, in fact people indulging in this probably have very idea about the relgious doctrine/theology etc.
Re the Scottish PPC -then it’s right that he has resigned or been sackef if that is what he has said. I just wish the Tories showd the same approach re Grayling.
Re the Scottish PPC
Robert
Generalissimo,
My comments might sound a little extreme taken out of context yet am minded to stand by them – Labour party supporters are not accustomed to being addressed as “Left-Wing Scum”.
The basis of rational political campaigning is to try to persuade those who do not share one’s views of the strength of one’s argument.
Calling those who do not agree with you “Scum” tends not to bring many into the fold, does it?