Nigel Farage defends 'sensible' health tourism comments during TV debate

NIGEL Farage has defended comments made during Thursday’s TV debate that foreigners suffering from HIV should have their access to free healthcare restricted, saying the policy is “sensible”.

Ukip leader Nigel FaragePA

Nigel Farage's comments about 'health tourism' became the most-tweeted about moment of the debate

The Ukip leader said cancer sufferers should not be denied the most expensive treatments while the government allows “people from all over the world to fly into Britain as health tourists to get a HIV test and drugs over £20,000 a year”.

Mr Farage faced criticism from his fellow panel members, including Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood, who described the remarks as “dangerous” and “scaremongering”.

However, speaking today, the South Thanet hopeful gave a robust defence of his comments - broadcast to more than seven million viewers on Thursday evening - saying it was a "sensible Christian thing to look after your family and your own community first".

"What good Christian would say to an 85-year-old woman you can't have breast cancer treatment because we can't afford it, whilst at the same time shovelling billions of pounds on foreign aid," he said. 

"You can come into Britain, from anywhere in the world, get diagnosed with HIV and get the retro-viral drugs which cost up to £25,000 per year, per patient.

"We need to put the National Health Service there for British people and families."

Mr Farage’s remarks became the most tweeted about moment of the two-hour ITV debate, which saw no clear winner with snap polls handing victory to several of the candidates. 

In an interview with Sky News, he also described himself as a lapsed Anglican who believes in God, but rarely attends church.

"I think there are millions like me, millions brought up to be Christian, who perhaps in adult life have rather put it at the back of their minds,” he said.

"We have a Judeo-Christian culture, we even have a Judeo-Christian constitution - the role of the monarch and the way the whole country is set up.

"That doesn't mean we are not the most tolerant country in Europe in terms of all cultures and other religions - we always have been but we mustn't forget who we are."

Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?