Farage accused of capitalising on hate tropes

THE BREXIT party has dismissed criticism of its leader Nigel Farage as “feeble” in the wake of accusations he used language linked to antisemitism to attack the financier George Soros.

A Guardian investigation found that he had called Mr Soros “the biggest danger to the entire Western world” in an interview with US network Fox News in June last year.

He also said Mr Soros “wants to break down the fundamental values of our society and, in the case of Europe, he doesn’t want Europe to be based on Christianity”.

In the interview Mr Farage also praised the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban — whose comments on the Hungarian billionaire have been criticised as antisemitic — for “having the courage” to stand up to Mr Soros.

The American-based financier has used his charitable foundations to spread the idea of liberal democracy in Europe.

But opponents claim he is undermining traditional Western culture.

The idea of wealthy Jews secretly working against Christian society is a staple of antisemitic conspiracy theories.

Mr Farage’s comments have been condemned across the political spectrum, including by Tory MP Theresa Villiers, vice-chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism. Labour’s Wes Streeting, also a vicechair, told the Guardian: “Nigel Farage doesn’t want to answer questions about his smears against George Soros, because they play into some of the worst antisemitic tropes.

“He is in the gutter, capitalising on a rising tide of antisemitic conspiracy theories to peddle his political message.”

But a Brexit Party spokesman told the Guardian its story was “pathetic”. There was “absolutely nothing in any of these remarks to substantiate an allegation of antisemitism,” he said. “It is an exceptionally feeble attempt to portray Nigel Farage as an antisemite.”

Soros is ‘the biggest danger to the Western world’