August M
Nigel Farage is facing criticism after publicly backing a Christian street preacher whose sermons described homosexuality as an “abomination” and warned of eternal punishment.
The Reform UK leader appeared in a video supporting Essex pastor Stephen Clayden after Colchester city council sought restrictions on his public preaching activities, according to reporting by The Guardian.
Political criticism
The controversy has triggered condemnation from Labour, which accused Farage of aligning himself with divisive figures instead of distancing himself from inflammatory rhetoric.
A Labour spokesperson told The Guardian that Farage had once again surrounded himself with “extreme voices” and should have condemned the pastor’s remarks rather than support him publicly.
“This is just the latest in a string of examples that show Farage and Reform stand for division and are not on the side of working people,” the spokesperson said.
Farage did not respond to requests for comment, The Guardian reported. The video supporting Clayden remains available on his YouTube channel.
Street preaching dispute
In the recording, Farage told Clayden he was “fully on your side” and offered to connect him with contacts linked to the Free Speech Union campaign group.
According to The Guardian, Clayden argued that council officials objected to both the volume and content of his street sermons, including references to hell, judgment and homosexuality.
Social media footage cited by the newspaper showed Clayden preaching that various groups of sinners, including “sodomites,” would face “the lake of fire.”
During another sermon referenced by The Guardian, he told passersby that “the Bible says homosexuality is an abomination.”
Church response
The Bread of Life church has also drawn attention for preaching during Pride events in Essex last year.
According to The Guardian, Clayden previously described homosexuality as “vile, disgusting and wicked” during a church gathering while arguing that his comments reflected biblical teachings.
Responding to the criticism, Clayden defended his remarks and said his sermons addressed many forms of sin, not only homosexuality.
“As our local MP here in Clacton-on-Sea, Farage is giving his support to a local church which has been issued with a notice restricting their freedom of speech,” he said.
Christian Concern, a religious freedom campaign group supporting the church, argued that local authorities were unfairly targeting lawful Christian preaching and said public backing from figures such as Farage highlighted wider concerns about freedom of expression.
Sources: The Guardian
