Morrissey has reaffirmed his support for the right-wing political group For Britain, said Nigel Farage would “make a good prime minister” and claimed “everyone prefers their own race”.
The singer and former frontman of The Smiths has become the centre of controversy after wearing a For Britain badge on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
In an interview conducted by his nephew Sam Esty Rayner in April, and recently posted on his own website, Morrissey praised the group’s leader Anne Marie Waters.
He said: “I think Anne Marie Waters is the only British party leader who can unite the left and right. I don’t know any other party leader who even wants to do this.
“The UK is a dangerously hateful place now, and I think we need someone to put a stop to the lunacy and to speak for everyone. I see Anne Marie Waters as this person.
“She is extremely intelligent, ferociously dedicated to this country, she is very engaging, and also very funny at times.”
He added that he had never heard her say anything racist, continuing: “But if you call someone racist in modern Britain you are telling them that you have run out of words. You are shutting the debate down and running off.
“The word is meaningless now. 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’ because everything in life is not exclusively a question of race, so why make it so?
“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.
“I can’t see how opposing halal slaughter makes me racist when I’ve objected to all forms of animal slaughter all of my life.”
Discussing his political affiliation, he said he has “never” been a supporter of Ukip, but added of Brexit Party leader and former Ukip leader Nigel Farage: “It’s obvious that he would make a good prime minister – if any of us can actually remember what a good prime minister is.”
He said he has never voted in his life, but when asked if he is a Brexiteer, he said: “I didn’t vote in the referendum, although I can see how there is absolutely nothing attractive about the EU.
“My view has always been that the result of the referendum must be carried through.
“If the vote had been remain there would be absolutely no question that we would remain.
“In the interest of true democracy, you cannot argue against the wish of the people.
“Without the people, nobody in high office gets paid.”