Brexit campaigners, including UKIP’s Nigel Farage, have shunned support from the French Front National leader, Marine Le Pen, ahead of her controversial visit to Britain.
Le Pen, who previously compared Muslims praying in the streets to Nazis occupying France, is planning a trip to London at the end of May or early June.
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Farage, leader of the anti-immigration UKIP, told Sky News her visit would be unhelpful to the cause, and he would “rather she didn’t come.” Farage, who once said he’d be concerned if Romanians moved in “next door,” has previously accused Le Pen of racism and anti-Semitism.
And Labour MP Gisela Stuart, co-chairman of the official “Vote Leave” movement, called on Home Secretary Theresa May to ban Le Pen from entering the UK.
“Accordingly, I urge you to exercise your powers under immigration legislation to refuse her admission into the country if and when she attempts to visit the UK,” she wrote.
In response, Le Pen defended her actions, telling France 2 television she was “surprised” Stuart said nothing of US President Barack Obama’s recent visit and that she not going to “interfere” with British affairs.
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The Leave.EU campaign told the Independent that Le Pen was not welcome in the UK.
“We don’t think her ‘contribution’ to the Brexit debate is helpful,” the group added. “Brits don’t want these leaders lecturing them on how they should vote.”
The Front National leader has used the June 23 referendum in Britain to push her own critical stance of Brussels and hopes it will pave the way for France to also leave the EU.
Le Pen said the Brexit vote would be a “key moment in European history,” during a news conference in Romania last weekend.