B
ritish Politician Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, has called for Britain to introduce a law to stop HIV positive people migrating to the country.
In an interview with Newsweek Europe Mr Farage was asked what kind of people he didn’t want immigrating to the United Kingdom.
Farage highlighted a case of a Latvian man who held a previous murder conviction and is no suspected of killing a British school girl. Farage said Britain should only take quality applicants.
When asked if ‘quality applicants’ meant people who did not have a murder conviction the politician said, “Yes, and those who not have HIV to be frank.”
Appearing on radio today Farage argued that Britain’s health system could not cope with immigrants who had life threatening diseases.
“We should do what America does, what Australia does, what every country in the world does. We want people who have trade and skills. But we do not want people with criminal records and we cannot afford to have people with life threatening diseases.” Farage told BBC Radio 4.
Critics have been quick to highlight the errors in the politicians statement noting that Australia has never stopped people living with HIV from entering the country and that America shelved it’s policy five years ago.
In the interview Farage said Britian could not afford to accept people with life threatening diseases and didn’t want those those with criminal records.
Dr Rosemary Gillespie, Chief Executive of the Terrance Higgins Trust – Britain’s leading HIV organisation – said Mr Farage’s comments showed he had no understanding of the issue of HIV.
“The idea that having HIV should be used as a black mark against someone’s name is ridiculous and shows an outrageous lack of understanding of the issue.
“It is to the UK’s credit that for more than three decades successive governments, no matter their political stamp, have refused to put in place border controls against people living with HIV.” Gillespie said.
Criticism of Farage’s comments and lack of knowledge about HIV came from both sides of politics. Labour MP Pamela Nash said Farage didn’t have a clue about HIV and his comments were blatant discrimination. Andrew Percy, a conservative member of the Health Select Committee said Farage’s comments were despicable.
OIP Staff
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