Morrissey has declared his belief that the recent elections for the leader of UKIP, in which far-right, anti-Islam candidate Anne Marie Waters was beaten, were rigged.
Speaking during a live performance on BBC Radio 6 Music to mark the beginning of this year’s ‘6 Music Live’, he said: “I was very surprised the other day, it was very interesting for me to see Anne Marie Waters become the head of UKIP. Oh no, sorry, she didn’t, the voting was rigged. I forgot.”
After silence from the crowd he continued, “You don’t get it, do you? You obviously don’t read the news.”
Waters recently lost out in the UKIP leadership election to Henry Bolton in a contest that many thought could split the party if she had won. In the past she has claimed that Islam is ‘evil’, and is the founder of anti-Islamic group ‘Sharia Watch UK’.
Along with former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson she also founded the UK branch of Pegida, a German far-right and anti-Islam organisation. After learning of her defeat in the leadership election she tweeted ‘Today: Jihad – 1. Truth – 0’
The singer also dedicated a track to those in Catalonia currently embroiled in a battle for independence. “We say free Catalonia from Spain, free the bull from Spain, free everybody from Spain!” to cheers from the crowd. Gustavo Manzur of Morrissey’s band also sung sections of ‘Speedway’ and ‘World Peace Is None Of Your Business’ in Spanish.
“Thanks to 6 Music for inviting us along today. We don’t get many invitations so it’s nice to be on the road,” Morrissey said.
The former Smiths frontman has caused controversy for what appear to be far right leanings. In the aftermath of the bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, he accused politicians of failing to adequately condemn Islamic State in a Facebook post.
He said: "In modern Britain everyone seems petrified to officially say what we all say in private. Politicians tell us they are unafraid, but they are never the victims. How easy to be unafraid when one is protected from the line of fire. The people have no such protections."
