PM says he loves country ‘deeply’ in response to Farage’s ‘culture’ comments
Rishi Sunak has said he loves the UK “deeply” after being accused of not understanding “our culture” by Nigel Farage.
The Reform UK leader made the suggestion after the Prime Minister left the D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations in Normandy before the main international event.
Mr Farage suggested his comments were in relation to the Prime Minister’s “class” rather than his background as the child of immigrants.
But Cabinet minister Mel Stride said he was “very uncomfortable” with the comments, while shadow justice secretary Shabana Mahmood said they were “completely unacceptable”.
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Privilege
Speaking to broadcasters during an campaign visit in London, Mr Sunak said: “I love this country deeply for what it has done for my family.
“My grandparents emigrated here with very little and two generations later I have the enormous privilege of being our Prime Minister.
“And that’s why I will work my hardest to repay this country for everything that it has done for my family.”
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‘Our culture’
In the wake of Mr Sunak’s departure before the international event, Mr Farage claimed the Prime Minister “doesn’t really care about our history, he doesn’t really care – frankly – about our culture”.
Asked what he meant by that on BBC1’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, he said: “I know what your question is leading at – 40% of our contribution in World War One and World War Two came from the Commonwealth.
“He is utterly disconnected by class, by privilege, from how the ordinary folk in this country feel.
“He revealed that, I think spectacularly, when he left Normandy early.
“Out there now there are millions and millions of people who were Conservative voters, traditional Conservative voters, not the red-wallers, who are now thinking ‘Do we go on supporting the Conservatives or do we support Reform?’
“This is going to be, I think, the acid test of this election.”
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Do you feel lucky…take the acid test…another election broadcast…
Everywhere you look the Pied Piper of Clacton readying himself with every news agency’s rabid encouragement…
Shorting the UK is the game, Farage is the name…
Mind you, he may fancy, like Fat Shanks’ King of the World, being Chancellor for One Thousand Days…
If looks could kill…Death has been on the the shoulder of these two for a while…not their own of course…
Farage’s comments about Putin will only serve to alienate many of those who might have previously supported him.Does he really believe Putin will stop at Ukraine?
We are our own worst enemy in this country – we give this idiot too much attention. You’d have thought we’d have learnt after Brexit. He may become an MP in Clacton but once the election is over and under a Labour government, which doesn’t consider him a threat, unlike the Tories, his barks and whistles will be largely ignored. Knowing this though, I suspect he’ll make a push for the Conservative leadership. If he does the party will split.