Farage defends candidate over offensive comments

Nigel Farage has defended a former Ukip British parliamentary candidate who stood down after being recorded using derogatory terms about homosexuals and Chinese people.

The Ukip leader said that Kerry Smith was “not suitable” to stand for election to parliament for the party, but insisted that his comments were not made with malice.

He described the Essex councillor as a “rough diamond” and criticised what he said was metropolitan snobbery against people from outside the capital using “colloquial” language.