Video: Nigel Farage says he is unaware of UKIP candidate who called for ‘poofters’ to be shot
UKIP leader Nigel Farage faced challenging questions this morning, and said he was unaware that one of his party’s councillors had asked “if we shot one poofter” whether the rest would “decide” not to be gay.
In the interview with LBC’s James O’Brien, Mr Farage was asked what would be the repercussions for Gloucestershire candidate John Lyndon Sullivan, who took to Facebook in February to make the controversial remarks.
On 17 February, Sullivan wrote on Facebook: “I rather often wonder if we shot one “poofter” (GLBT whatevers), whether the next 99 would decide on balance, that they weren’t after-all? We might then conclude that it’s not a matter of genetics, but rather more of education ;)”
Responding to the question, Mr Farage said: “People say silly things- we’ve had more of it than we would have liked,” and said he would be happy to have debate about “idiots” in UKIP.
He then said Sullivan would face “disciplinary” action to determine if he “brought the party into disrepute.” O’Brien then pointed out that the update took place in February, and no action had been taken yet.
Later responding to a question of why he was unaware of the controversy surrounding Sullivan, Mr Farage said:, “I lead a political party, I don’t manage the day-to-day running of it.”
He claimed: “All anyone wants to do is talk about the idiots in UKIP,” but that the media doesn’t ask the same questions to the main political parties when controversy occurs.
Later in the interview after facing a barrage of difficult questions about his bilingual daughters and wife, who pays for his medical bills and why he said he would be “uncomfortable” with Romanians moving in next door, UKIP communications director Patrick O’Flynn tried to stop the interview, saying it had “overrun”.
Sullivan previously said physical education could “prevent homosexuality”, and last year failed to be elected as a councillor for Newent in Gloucestershire.
Mr Sullivan’s comments, which were deleted, were made on a Facebook group called “Traditional Britain Group.”
