Jacqui Smith defends UK ban on anti-gay shock jock
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was today forced to defend her decision to ban US shock jock Michael Savage from entering Britain.
Savage was placed on a list of 16 ‘undesirables’ barred from entering the country.
The radio presenter, whose real name is Michael Weiner, is known for his strong views on homosexuality, abortion and immigration.
He was listed alongside murderers and terrorists for “engaging in unacceptable behaviour” by “provoking hate”. Savage has said he will sue over the ban.
At Home Office question time Tory MP Michael Fabricant called the ban “ludicrous”.
He said: “Do you realise the disrepute you have put this country in in the eyes of many right-seeing people and left-seeing people in the US?”
Smith replied: “Frankly if you believe it is appropriate to use words about Muslims like ‘I said so kill 100 million of them then there would be 900 million of them, I mean would you rather us die than them?’ then you have a different set of values than I have and I want to make sure that those are implemented into the decisions we make about who we do and do not allow into this country.”
Mr Blunt said: “For the Home Office to produce a name and shame list was a self-evident gimmick and demeaning to Government.
“It has now produced a completely avoidable legal action which is producing splendid publicity for Michael Savage.”
Ms Smith said: “Where people preach hate, where they foment hatred in the way in which has happened here, where they provoke others to serious violence where they use phrases in relation to somebody who on his radio programme said he was gay ‘You should only get Aids and die you pig’ that it is right we should express our view about that.
“Coming to this country is a privilege and we will express our values in those we exclude.”
Westboro Baptist Church leader Fred Phelps and his daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper are also on the list of individuals banned from entering the country since October due to their extremist views.
The Phelps family believe that the deaths of US soldiers in Iraq are God’s “punishment” for homosexuality and those who tolerate it.
