UKIP LEADER’S FAR-RIGHT FIASCO
In chaotic campaign launch, Batten tries to defend candidate who said he ‘wouldn’t even rape’ MP... and ANOTHER who taught dog to do a Hitler salute
THE leader of Ukip yesterday defended his party’s selection of one EU election candidate who joked about rape and another who taught his dog to do a Nazi salute.
At a chaotic press conference, Gerard Batten was joined on stage by Carl Benjamin, who refused to apologise after saying he ‘wouldn’t even rape’ Labour MP Jess Phillips.
From the stage Mr Benjamin branded her a ‘bitch’ and claimed she laughed at male suicide victims. Mrs Phillips said she would be consulting her lawyers over the slur.
Mr Batten also introduced Scottish comedian Mark Meechan, who was fined £800 in 2018 for filming his dog saluting Nazi-style.
And he praised Stuart Agnew just days after it emerged he had made a speech to a pro-apartheid club of expat South Africans that has far-right links and calls Nelson Mandela a terrorist.
Mr Benjamin, Mr Meechan and Mr Agnew are Ukip candidates to become MEPs at the European Parliament elections on May 23.
Mr Batten launched his European campaign the day after a poll showed that Ukip is haemorrhaging support to the Brexit Party, set up by ex-leader Nigel Farage. It found the Brexit Party is set to win the election with 27 per cent of the vote – way ahead of Ukip on just 7 per cent. A gloating Mr Farage said yesterday: ‘The lurch towards extremism has destroyed Ukip.’ But Mr Batten branded Mr Farage’s new Brexit Party ‘phoney’ and accused him of wanting a ‘oneman dictatorship’. He confirmed far-right activist Tommy Robinson will not stand as an MEP in this election, and will not be allowed to join the party unless the membership votes in favour of him in a referendum.
Mr Benjamin hit the headlines in 2016 when he responded to Mrs Phillips’ concerns over sexual assault threats by saying: ‘I wouldn’t even rape you... feminism is cancer.’ The self- described comedian – known to online fans as ‘ Sargon of Akkad’ – said he would not ‘apologise for my crimes against political correctness’.
He told journalists yesterday: ‘I’m not answering your questions, I’m not apologising for anything, you dirty, dirty smear merchants.
‘I think we should treat women the same as men. That means if a woman is being a giant bitch and laughing at male suicide, I’m going to be a giant dick back to her.’
Mrs Phillips, the MP for Birmingham Yardley, responded on Twitter: ‘Carl Benjamin will forever have whatever career he has defined by me, he will hear my name wherever he goes.
‘His whole political life defined by little feminist Jess – that my friends is comedy.’ She later wrote: ‘ Oh I’ve just watched the clip of Mr Benjamin telling lies on a stage about me, so I think he’ll be hearing from the lawyers. Deary me.’ Scottish comedian Mr Meechan, known as ‘Count Dankula’, used the press conference to deny that he was ‘far-right’, saying: ‘I want to protect people from having their rights infringed upon in regards to freedom of speech and freedom of expression by draconian and authoritarian laws.’ Mr Batten said: ‘These gentlemen are free speech merchants making comedy acts. If they make jokes as part of their act, I’m not condoning any jokes or any ill-considered remarks, but this is what they are.’
He insisted that ‘the vast mass of people out there couldn’t care less’, and dismissed calls from local activists for Mr Benjamin to be deselected. In a swipe at Mr Farage’s new party, Mr Batten said: ‘Ukip is the authentic party of Brexit, the true party of Leave.’ Mr Batten played down Mr Farage’s role in Ukip’s past success, insisting the party and referendum result were ‘not the province of one man’.
He called Mr Agnew the ‘ most loyal’ MEP, saying that he had supported every leader and all Ukip manifestos.
‘Not apologising for anything’