Nigel Farage speaks to conference that gave award to anti-gay reality star

Nigel Farage has addressed an American conference that gave a ‘free speech’ award to the homophobic star of Duck Dynasty.

Mr Farage addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference in the US on Thursday, before rushing back to the UK to attend UKIP’s own Spring Conference.

The UKIP leader spoke to a half-empty room at CPAC, in a speech that mainly focussed on immigration, steering away from social issues.

However, at the same event, Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson – who claims that sexually transmitted infections are God’s punishment for gays – was honoured with the ‘Freedom of Speech’ award.

Robertson was suspended from his A&E reality show for less than two weeks in 2013, when he questioned in an interview to GQ why gay men would prefer “a man’s anus” over a vagina.

Members of his family have ties with listed hate groups – and Robertson continues to give homophobic sermons claiming that the “sexually immoral” will go to hell.

The conference had repeatedly been condemned by the Log Cabin Republicans – who lobby for equality inside the Republican movement – and claim they were blocked from sponsoring the event.

Director Gregory T Angelo had claimed: “LCR is actively being prohibited from sponsoring CPAC.

“Time and again, when we showed the ACU that we met their criteria for sponsorship, the reasons for our exclusion changed.

“Incredibly, among the greatest ironies at CPAC 2015 is that Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson will be honoured with a Freedom of Speech Award at this year’s event.

“If anyone should be honoured with a Freedom of Speech Award at this year’s CPAC, it should be Log Cabin Republicans.”

• Nov 29 2023

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