Nigel Farage has accused Romanians in Britain of eating swans in parks across the country in his latest attack on migrants living in the UK.
The Reform UK leader claimed “swans are being eaten in Royal Parks” and said carp were being taken out of ponds “by people who come from different cultures”.
Asked who he believes are eating Britain’s swans, which are a protected species in the UK, Mr Farage said: “People who come from countries where that’s quite acceptable.”
And, asked by LBC’s Nick Ferrari whether eastern Europeans, Romanians and “people like that” were responsible, Mr Farage said: “So I believe.”
The Royal Parks charity rejected Mr Farage’s claim.
A spokesman said: “We’ve not had any incidents reported to us of people killing or eating swans in London’s eight Royal Parks.
“Our wildlife officers work closely with the Swan Sanctuary to ensure the welfare of the swans across the parks.”
It came as the Reform leader also opened the door to a Donald Trump-style re-evaluation of the safety of paracetamol in the UK.
Asked about the US president linking the drug to autism – claims UK experts have refuted and condemned as “fearmongering” – Mr Farage said “that is an opinion he has … it’s not one that I necessarily share”.
But Mr Farage added that “the science is never settled”. He said: “When it comes to science, I don’t side with anybody, because the science is never settled and we should remember that.”
Mr Farage’s comments about Romanians eating swans are an echo of the US president’s warning that Haitian migrants were eating Americans’ pets.
In a presidential debate last year, Mr Trump said: “In Springfield, they are eating the dogs. The people that came in, they are eating the cats. They’re eating – they are eating the pets of the people that live there.”
City authorities stressed that there was no evidence for the claim, with the US National Security Council spokesperson at the time dubbing it a “dangerous conspiracy theory”.
Mr Farage launched into his own allegation about swans being eaten in royal parks after being challenged over whether any evidence had been forthcoming for Mr Trump’s claims.
After the exchange, interviewer Mr Ferrari said: “So it’s a similar story? They’re eating our carp, they’re eating our swans?”
Mr Farage said: “I’m not saying that, I’m just putting it back as an argument.”
Critics seized on Mr Farage’s answers during the interview on drug safety, with Wes Streeting saying he has “no idea and no backbone”.
The health secretary said: “This is a man whose health adviser claimed at Reform’s conference that the Covid vaccine gave the royal family cancer.
“Anti-science, anti-reason, anti-NHS.
“Farage is the snake oil salesman of British politics and it’s time to stop buying his rubbish.”
And Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Helen Morgan said: “Nigel Farage wants to impose Trump’s dangerous anti-science agenda here in the UK. Peddling this kind of nonsense is irresponsible and wrong.
“It seems Farage would rather see pregnant women suffer in pain than stand up to his idol Donald Trump.”
