UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage toured around London after unveiling a UKIP ‘EU referendum bus,’ emblazoned with the tag-line ‘we want our country back!’.
However, although wanting Britain to leave the EU, Mr Farage hopes for a more integrated London and praised Sadiq Khan.
“I really hope that he is going to be a force for integration, a force for coming together, a force for less divided communities and if he does that he’ll make a great success of it,” said Mr Farage.
Having been in office for just two weeks, Mr Farage discussed what he hoped the new Mayor of London will tackle.
“We’ve got the first Muslim mayor of London, that is significant,” said Mr Farage.
“There are big points, within the communities about whether Sharia Law is being applied, about whether we’re making sure everybody’s being encouraged to speak the same language as each other, some very basic things to make sure all Londoners are equal before the law”
The UKIP leader went on to offer a few words of advice to Mr Khan.
“Be yourself,” said Mr Farage, “if you can be that force for bringing London together, you’ll be a great success.”
With the EU referendum looming, ‘Brexiteers’ and ‘Bremainers’ are battling it out to prove how Britain should vote, with Mr Farage leading support for Britain’s EU departure.
Currently UKIP’s hot topic, ‘Brexit’ could become a reality on June 23 after the public referendum vote.
Earlier this month, UKIP gained two seats in the London Assembly for members Peter Whittle and David Kurten.
The new Mayor of London will be held to account for the first time on Wednesday May 25 at the first Mayor’s Question Time, and for the first time in over a decade will include UKIP members.
UKIP leader Mr Farage, said: “We now have two elected members in London who can help lead the charge for us in London making the big arguments that London is an international city, not a little European city.”
Mayor Sadiq Khan has publicly backed Britain to stay part of the EU, along with Prime Minister David Cameron.
However, the opinions of these two powerful figures who have such large platforms of influence has not bothered Mr Farage.
“That’s what referendums are for isn’t it, so people can debate these things and make their minds up,” said Mr Farage.
“We as a party were founded believing that the United Kingdom should be an independent country, and in a few weeks time, we’ve got our chance.”
Britain will listen to both sides of the EU referendum argument in a televised debate between Mr Cameron and Mr Farage ahead of the public vote.
‘Cameron and Farage Live: The EU Referendum’ will be broadcast at 9pm on Tuesday June 7 and is the first of two live events on ITV.
Picture courtesy of European Parliament, with thanks
