Morrissey on Nigel Farage: ‘It’s obvious that he would make a good prime minister’

Morrissey has spoken in praise of Nigel Farage in a wide-ranging interview where he claimed 'everyone ultimately prefers their own race'.

A transcript of the interview with photographer Sam Esty Rayner, which was conducted in April but only just published, has appeared on Morrissey's official website.

The ex-Smiths frontman praised Farage, saying: "it's obvious that he would make a good prime minister", but clarified that he had never supported UKIP.

Asked if he is a Brexiteer, he said he didn't vote, but said: "I can see how there is absolutely nothing attractive about the EU," and added that the referendum should be respected.

"If the vote had been Remain there would be absolutely no question that we would remain," he said. "In the interest of true democracy, you cannot argue against the wish of the people. Without the people, nobody in high office gets paid."

In 2018 he claimed that Brexit hadn't happened yet because "the EU said no".

READ: Brexit has not happened because the EU will not allow it, claims MorrisseyThe singer-songwriter reiterated that he "absolutely" supports far-right party For Britain. He heaped praise on leader Anne-Marie Waters, who in 2017 stood for UKIP leadership on an anti-Islam platform.

"The UK is a dangerously hateful place now," he said. "I think we need someone to put a stop to the lunacy and to speak for everyone."

Morrissey said he has never heard Waters say anything racist - a word he has repeatedly said is "meaningless" anyway.

"If you call someone racist in modern Britain you are telling them that you have run out of words," he said in the interview. "Everyone ultimately prefers their own race ... does this make everyone racist?

"The people who reduce every conversation down to a matter of race could be said to be the most traditionally 'racist'," he said.

"Diversity can't possibly be a strength if everyone has ideas that will never correspond. If borders are such terrible things then why did they ever exist in the first place? Borders bring order."

OPINION: Morrissey's politics are alienating fansAlong with lengthy music industry reminiscences and discussion of Morrissey's oeuvre, much of the interview is spent excoriating the media, with particular ire reserved for the Guardian.

The singer has long been known for his vehement stances against meat-eating and the monarchy, but in recent years has become more and more outspoken in his far-right views.

He has previously worn a For Britain badge and has been thanked for his support by the party, which has counted Tommy Robinson among its supporters.

For Britain policy claims to oppose discrimination on the basis of religion, but also warns of the "the grave and growing danger" of "Islamic values" and states that the religion is "fundamentally inconsistent" with "traditional British values".