‘People either like me or they don’t’: Farage branded ‘sexist’ after ITV interview
UKIP’s Nigel Farage was branded “sexist” after his “failed attempt” to woo women voters in his surprise appearance on ITV’s Loose Women.
Shortly after the Labour Party’s ‘pink bus’ gaffe and Cameron’s “patronizing” women’s magazine interview, Farage is the latest politician to attempt to win over female voters.
Things didn’t go to plan for Farage on Thursday’s Loose Women when he was interrogated about his family life, health, drinking and why he has been named as Britain’s most hated man.
He admitted his own family life has suffered because of his career in politics, adding he had to be a “selfish” person to be a politician.
After begging the Loose Women presenters to have mercy on him, Farage said it is a “fact of life” some new mothers will “fall behind” in their careers.
Loose Women’s Andrea McLean questioned “blokeish” Farage on what he could do to “bring more women on board,” after he had previously commented that women are not “as useful” to employ.
Here I am on @loosewomen right now... pic.twitter.com/jqaDXtbuEh
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) March 5, 2015
“If you’re a doctor, a lawyer, a researcher, you’re a women, you have a baby, you take six months or a year off, and you come back. You are not disadvantaged at all in that job,” Farage said.
“But there are other jobs in which you take six months off and come back and you find yourself behind the rest of the pack earning less money,” adding it is a “fact of life.”
Farage tells Loose Women that men earning more "is a fact of life". *slow hand clap* #equalitypic.twitter.com/7PGpGh2xkm
— Martyn Lee (@martlee) March 6, 2015
His comments sparked outrage on social media.
Words fail me. This man is utterly useless and sexist. It's an injustice not a fact of life! #GenderGap#nigelfaragehttp://t.co/p1GopwitIG
— Michelle Ní Mhurchú (@MsMurphington) March 5, 2015
One Twitter user said: “Words fail me. This man is utterly useless and sexist. It’s an injustice not a fact of life.”
Sorry- @Nigel_Farage said what?! Just a fact of life is it women earn less after kids? No it’s an injustice and we can change it #equality
— stellacreasy (@stellacreasy) March 5, 2015
Stella Creasy, Labour and Co-operative MP for Walthamstow, also objected to Farage’s comments on Twitter, adding it is “an injustice and we can change it.”
How any woman could vote for a sexist twat like Farage is beyond me. http://t.co/kOOpbeEt7q#UKIP
— philip smith (@maxrhino) March 5, 2015
“How any woman could vote for a sexist tw*t like Farage is beyond me,” another user added.
@Nigel_Farage you and your party are racist sexist homophobes
— Josh Wicks (@realjoshwicks) March 5, 2015
“You and your party are racist and sexist homophobes,” another user said.
Farage, who admitted “UKIP will not win” the election was asked why he has been named Britain’s most hated person.
“I’m a bit like Marmite [popular vegetable spread in the UK], people either like me or they don’t like me, and that’s fine,” he replied.
Well, I didn't do too badly on @loosewomen , did I? It was good fun!
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) March 5, 2015
However, Farage’s performance pleased some, as one user tweeted: “You did great, showing you’re the only leader capable of having a normal conversation.”
@Nigel_Farage@loosewomen You are reinventing politics - cheers Nigel
— Modigliani (@HoraceOflaherty) March 5, 2015
Another user claimed Farage is “reinventing politics.”
Nigel Farage's response to the woman who called him the Messiah is hilarious! http://t.co/Vrdg5dnbvGpic.twitter.com/FoIMBWkMmJ
— LBC (@LBC) March 6, 2015
Farage’s modesty prevailed on LBC radio on Friday, however, when the UKIP chief said: “I’m not the messiah, I’m a very naughty boy,” after an obsessive fan said he was “sent by God” to save Britain from the EU.
