Nigel Farage says Britain should take Donald Trump’s lead and bring in ‘extreme vetting’ at borders and defends his Muslim travel ban
NIGEL Farage says Britain should take Donald Trump’s lead and bring in “extreme vetting” at our borders.
The former Ukip leader also defended the US President’s controversial Muslim travel ban after it was slammed by a host of UK politicians this morning.
He said Mr Trump is entitled to introduce the measures in a bid to crack down on any would-be jihadis entering the country.
And he instead blamed the ban, which sees citizens from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen barred temporarily along with all refugees, on Germany's open-door policy towards those fleeing conflict in the Middle East.
Speaking on BBC1's Sunday Politics, Mr Farage said: "He was elected to get tough, he was elected to say he will do everything within his power to protect America from infiltration by Isis terrorists.
"Now there are seven countries on that list, he is entitled to do this, he was voted in on this."
Mr Farage, who has previously called for Syrian refugees to be allowed into Britain, said he now agrees with Mr Trump's policy.
And he suggested German Chancellor Angela Merkel's open-door refugee policy has left Europe vulnerable to terrorism.
He said: "I mean frankly since I made those comments we had the Merkel madness, and I think Trump's policy in many ways has been shaped by what Mrs Merkel did.
"He is fully entitled to do this, and as far as we are concerned in this country, yes I would like to see extreme vetting."
Mr Farage, who is close with Mr Trump and became the first British politician to meet him after his election, said the US President was voted in on the promise he would introduce tougher vetting and he is doing "exactly" what his voters want.
He said: "We have elections so voters can make choices and they voted for Donald Trump to become president, and he said he will put bans in place and then move towards extreme vetting.
"Now, as far as Syria is concerned, he has made that decision. But that is what he was voted in for."
The MEP conceded American citizens radicalised at home are responsible for the recent terror attacks in the US rather than refugees.
He added: "But when you've got a problem already, why on earth would you wish to add to it?
"I would remind you that of the eight people who committed those atrocities in Paris, five of them had got into Europe posing as refugees. So, there is an issue here."
But cabinet minister Sajid Javid hit out at Mr Farage’s support for the travel ban.
The Communities Secretary, who is a Muslim himself, tweeted: “Farage is wrong to try and defend US immigration ban.
“These are not British values.”
A petition to block Donald Trump's state visit has rocketed to almost 200,000 signatures in just hours, after being backed by Jeremy Corbyn and Tim Farron.