‘Stop immigrants using our NHS’, says Australian local UKIP candidate

Immigrants should wait to get NHS treatment, a UKIP candidate has said, despite having benefited from the NHS as an Australian migrant himself.

Greg Clough, who is running as UKIP’s parliamentary candidate in Islington North, said that anybody who arrives in the UK should have to work and gain citizenship before being able to access benefits, including treatment on the NHS.

But Mr Clough, 44, who lives with his Greek wife and their children in Highbury Fields, claims he had access to NHS treatment before he became a UK citizen in 2005, as he was part of the Commonwealth. He also said the NHS should limit the care that it provides.

The campaign never stops for us, We were out and about today by Chapel market today, talking to small businesses! pic.twitter.com/ycjISU5Zj9

— Islington&hackney (@ukip_hi) March 1, 2015

“If you can put a cap on the number of services we put on the NHS we can actually balance the equation,” he said.

“We want to limit people’s access to the NHS to citizens and people with indefinite leave to remain.”

To “balance the equation”, he said we could stop sending foreign aid overseas to “foreign despots in India.”

Originally from Australia, Mr Clough came to the UK on a working holiday visa, before changing to a skilled labour one.

For Islington north we have our Aussie friend from over the pond Greg clough. pic.twitter.com/MuFAdIBG7y

— Islington&hackney (@ukip_hi) January 8, 2015

In an outspoken rant he condemned hardworking British citizens who chose to take their pensions abroad.

“If there is a population of expats who want to take their pension out of the UK then that’s a problem,” he added.

“Someone who has worked all their life in the UK and takes their pension and goes to live in Spain, that money is off our GDP and on Spanish GDP.

“If you choose to do that then you can afford to pay for healthcare there.”

This article was amended on 12.3.15 to clarify that Clough did not say British citizens should not be paid their pensions if they choose to live abroad. 

Alexander Ward

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