Nigel Farage has faced criticism for backing a Christian preacher who described homosexuality as an “abomination” and warned of eternal damnation. The Reform UK leader recorded a video with Stephen Clayden, pastor of Bread of Life church in Colchester, after the local council sought a banning order to restrict his street preaching.
In the video posted on his YouTube channel, Farage assured Clayden he was “fully on your side” and offered to enlist the Free Speech Union. Clayden acknowledged the council objected to both the volume of his preaching and his church’s warnings against homosexuality.
Footage from last month shows Clayden telling passersby that “all sodomites” would face “the lake of fire” and that homosexuality is “an abomination” according to the Bible. His church also preached at Pride events, calling homosexuality “vile, disgusting and wicked”.
A Labour spokesperson criticised Farage, saying: “Time and time again, Nigel Farage finds himself in the company of extreme voices. Farage should have called out these grim homophobic remarks and condemned them. Instead, he is throwing his support behind the individual peddling them.”
Farage did not respond to a request for comment. Clayden defended his remarks as biblical, stating: “All my quotes come from the Bible. I have mentioned several types of sin which are all portrayed with the utmost seriousness in scripture.”
A spokesperson for Christian Concern, supporting Clayden, said the church was “grateful” for Farage’s support and argued the council was wrong to try to restrict lawful religious expression.
