‘OUT OF ALL PROPORTION’
Nigel Farage defends Donald Trump’s Britain First retweets saying President didn’t have an ‘earthly clue’ about the far-right group
NIGEL Farage has defended Donald Trump’s controversial retweets of Britain First videos saying the US President didn't have an “earthly clue” about the far-right group.
The former Ukip leader said the tweets were not in good taste but he claimed the issue had been blown up “out of all proportion”.
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However the Labour MP David Lammy reacted angrily to his comments on the Andrew Marr Show, saying he was “nothing but a pound shop Enoch Powell”.
The row started on Wednesday after Mr Trump promoted a string of anti-Muslim messages from Britain First’s deputy leader Jayda Fransen to his 45 million followers on social media.
It sparked a huge row which saw him condemned by Theresa May and has led to further calls for his planned state visit to the UK to be cancelled.
Mr Trump hit back at the Prime Minister on Twitter, saying: “Don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom.”
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Discussing the row on the BBC One show Mr Farage said: “Do I think those tweets were in good taste? Not particularly, no.
“But the point is that the level of outrage from the liberal elite in this country is out of all proportion with what happened here.”
He added that Mr Trump “retweeted these videos and he wouldn’t have an earthly clue who Britain First were”.
Mr Farage said: “Of course he doesn’t research everything. The level of outrage from the liberal elite is out of all proportion.
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“The idea that that should lead to half the Labour Party saying he should not be allowed to come to our country is frankly ridiculous.”
Appearing alongside him was the former senior Labour aide Ayesha Hazarika, who said: “Just remember as Jo Cox lay dying, the scumbag who executed her shouted out the words “Britain First.”
She added: “Donald Trump is a racist, he’s misogynistic and he’s Islamophobic. He peddles in stirring up hate and division.
“That might be something you agree with, but that is not what British values are in this country.
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But Mr Farage interrupted her by repeatedly saying: “You’re out of touch, you’re out of touch.”
He later tweeted a video if the confrontation on the BBC show, adding: “I challenged the panel about ISIS throwing gay people from buildings, no response.
“But they are totally outraged over Trump's tweets.”
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