UKIP peer accused of invoking the ‘same language’ as Nazis used against Jews

A UKIP peer has been criticised for invoking “the same language that the Nazis used” against Jews, during a speech about British Muslims.

Lord Pearson of Rannoch warned his colleagues about the possible eventual Muslim “takeover” of parts of British society, during a debate on the Government’s strategy against Islamist terrorism.

Speaking in the House of Lords this week, the former party leader said: “We should instead be taking some initiatives now which will help to avoid the eventual Muslim takeover of our society, at least in our major Muslim conurbations.

“You only have to look at the Muslim birth rate to see this is now a real possibility.”

He was criticised by non-affiliated peer Lord Ahmed who said: “This is the same language that the Nazis used against the Jewish communities before the Second World War.”

Lord Nazir Ahmed said such comments could only increase hate crimes and added: “We don’t need Islamophobes.”

Lord Ahmed was suspended from the Labour Party in March 2013 after The Times reported that he blamed his 2009 prison sentence – for sending text messages shortly before his car was involved in a fatal crash – on pressure placed on the courts by Jews ”who own newspapers and TV channels”.

The Muslim peer allegedly told an Urdu-language broadcaster in Pakistan that the judge who jailed him for 12 weeks was appointed to the High Court after helping a ”Jewish colleague” of Tony Blair during an important case.

Lord Ahmed insisted he had “never been anti-Semitic” and had “unreservedly apologised” for any offence caused to the Jewish community.

In his resignation letter Lord Ahmed said: “I do not recall when this interview was held and nor the person who carried out this interview. All I know is what has been reported in The Times. I reject the core story that emerges out of the alleged interview.”