Nigel Farage may have to beg Nick Nowles for mercy if he is to avoid the courts.
The campaign founder of Hope Not Hate took serious offence to Nigel Farage’s unkind words, referring to the group as extremists.
Nick Nowles
The founder of the campaign group Hope Not Hate has condemned Nigel Farage for saying the widower of the murdered MP Jo Cox supported extremism because he supported the organisation.
Nick Lowles wrote a detailed attack in the U.K Guardian, saying Farage dislikes the organisation because they have ‘’shone the spotlight’’ on Ukip and campaigned to stop Farage being elected to the Thanet parliamentary seat at the 2015 election.
Lowles’s comments were sparked by a row between Brendon Cox(wife of murdered Mp Joe Cox) and Nigel Farage over the formers response to a tweet in which Farage blamed the German chancellor , Angela Merkel for the Berlin truck attack. Cox referred to this as a ”slippery slope”.
Farage later was typically brave to accuse Cox of links to extremism because of his support of Hope Not Hate- one of three charities supported by a foundation set up in the name of Jo Cox.
Speaking soon afterwards to LBC radio, Farage accused Cox of links to extremism via Hope Not Hate, one of three charities supported by a foundation set up in the name of Jo Cox.
Farage said:
“Well, of course, he would know more about extremists than me, Mr Cox. He backs organisations like Hope Not Hate, who masquerade as being lovely and peaceful, but actually pursue violent and undemocratic means.”
Those comments have raised issues of defamation and led to a call by Hope Not Hate to demand Farage apologise or face legal action. or face legal action. A crowdfunding campaign to pay for the case has received a huge response, according to the group.
Farage has “lashed out in the most unbelievable way” by trying to say Brendan Cox was associated with extremism, Lowles angrily states.
“Even by his standards, Farage’s comments were disgustingly offensive. Many were outraged, not just us,” Lowles declares.
Lowles Likens Nigel Farage to president elect- Trump, alleging both of bullish and intimidating tactics that forms ”part of a resurgent populist right” “That’s why it’s time to draw a line in the sand and why we have demanded a retraction and an apology from Nigel Farage. He cannot keep getting away unchallenged with his lies any longer.”
British National party
The group has targeted the likes of the British National party and the anti-Islamic English Defence League.
Lowles says Hope Not Hate began looking into Ukip “as it began adopting a more anti-immigrant stance and specifically whipping up scare stories with claims that 29 million Bulgarians and Romanians would come to the UK” He adds: “Events since have proved we were right to do so.” Nigel Farage has been very vocal about his views controlling immigration, and this cannot be said to completely be a bad thing. It would be irrational to suggest immigration in Britain has not needed control, but the concern that arises is if if anti immigration positions taken by politicians are extreme and appeal to extremists groups for that reason.
Nigel Farage has had a lot of sway with many sections of the British populace, with his anti -immigration ideologies finding ground among a large section of the British working class, but a smaller percentage of the middle class. Nigel Farage’s campaign for Brexit and support for President elect- Trump has seen him visit Trump three times already since he won the elections.
His back is now against the wall with his statement against Hope Not Hate, sounding defamatory in essence. This means he may have to stand before a judge if he doesn’t beg for mercy now and end up dipping his hands in his pockets and saying sorry that way.