Nigel Farage was likened to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels last night as he was forced to backtrack over a call to scrap most of Britain’s race relations laws. The Ukip leader prompted a storm of controversy by suggesting he wanted to reverse legislation dating back to the 1960s which bars discrimination at work on the grounds of race or colour. His remarks were condemned by the leaders of the other three main parties. David Cameron said Mr Farage appeared ‘desperate for attention’, while Ed Miliband said the comments were ‘wrong, divisive and dangerous’. Nick Clegg said Mr Farage created fear by confusing ideas. Scroll down for video . 'Colour blind': Farage with Ukip election candidate Winston McKenzie at its conference last year . But a senior adviser to Downing Street went further, claiming Goebbels would have been ‘proud’ of Mr Farage’s remarks. Iraqi-born Conservative MP for Stratford-on-Avon Nadhim Zahawi, a member of the No 10 policy board, told LBC Radio: ‘The remark I found most difficult, and certainly hurt by, [is when] he talks about employers being able to discriminate in favour of British-born citizens. ‘I wasn’t born in Britain, but I feel equally British to Nigel Farage or anyone else. These remarks make me feel very frightened that a man like Nigel Farage, who aspires to lead the country, who says that he’s leading a serious party, actually takes the attitude that if you are not British-born, you’re not equal. It’s a dog whistle. 'It’s a remark Goebbels would be proud of. His remarks are deeply racist. He should withdraw and apologise.’ Last night the Ukip leader claimed his remarks had been misinterpreted and that he did not want to scrap anti- discrimination legislation. Instead, he focused on less controversial suggestions that firms should be allowed to favour British job applicants. He said: ‘What I am saying is very simple: I’m saying that I think British companies should be allowed the presumption of favouring British applicants for jobs over those from southern and eastern Europe.’ Both Labour and Tory politicians, notably former prime minister Gordon Brown, have made similar proposals of a system of ‘British jobs for British workers’. The row erupted after Mr Farage, interviewed by Trevor Phillips, the former chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, for a Channel 4 documentary to be screened next week, said Britain faced an ‘especial problem’ with some Muslim immigrants. Iraqi-born Conservative MP for Stratford-on-Avon Nadhim Zahawi compared the Ukip leader to Goebbels while David Cameron said he was 'desperate for attention' ‘People do see a fifth column living within our country, who hate us and want to kill us,’ he said. Mr Farage then suggested that race and other anti-discrimination laws could be abolished on the grounds that people were now ‘colour blind’. Pressed on which legislation he would get rid of, the Ukip leader said: ‘Much of it.’ Asked whether there would be a law against discrimination on the grounds of race or colour if Ukip were ever in power, Mr Farage added: ‘No… because we take the view, we are colour blind. We as a party are colour blind. ‘I think the employer should be much freer to make decisions on who she or he employs. I think the situation that we now have, where an employer is not allowed to choose between a British-born person and somebody from Poland, is a ludicrous state of affairs. ‘I would argue that the law does need changing, and that if an employer wishes to choose, or you can use the word “discriminate” if you want to, but wishes to choose to employ a British-born person, they should be allowed to do so.’ IN THE CHANNEL 4 INTERVIEW: . Trevor Phillips: ‘In Ukipland there would be no law against discrimination on the grounds of nationality. Would there be a law against discrimination on the grounds of race or colour?’ Nigel Farage: ‘No. We are colour blind. We as a party are colour blind.’ YESTERDAY: . Nigel Farage: ‘I didn’t mention race at all – it was no part of that interview with Trevor Phillips at all… I am not proposing abolishing the race relations laws in Britain.’ Challenged later about his remarks, the Ukip leader appeared to reverse his position, insisting: ‘I didn’t mention race at all. I am not proposing abolishing the race relations laws. I’m talking about lightening employment legislation so that small employers – and don’t forget, there are nearly five million in Britain – are less fearful of taking on young British workers.’ Mr Farage suggested his critics were racist, rather than him, since they assumed he meant ‘white’ when he talked about ‘British’ workers, while he insisted his proposed changes would help ‘young black and white British people’. Last night the Prime Minister said: ‘What Nigel Farage has said is completely wrong and, frankly, pretty appalling. The reason these laws are in place is to stop people being discriminated against on the basis of the colour of their skin.’ Sadiq Khan, Labour’s shadow justice secretary, said: ‘This is one of the most shocking things I have ever heard from a mainstream politician, and demonstrates breathtaking ignorance. ‘We have made huge progress on tackling racial inequality and discrimination in this country, but things are still far from perfect. ‘When my parents moved to London [from Pakistan] they frequently saw signs saying “no blacks, no dogs, no Irish”. What Ukip is suggesting would take us back to those days.’
Nigel Farage was compared to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels over . Ukip leader suggested he wanted to reverse race relation legislation . His views slammed as 'dangerous, divisive and desperate for attention'
Iraqi-born MP said remarks was one 'Goebbels would have been proud of'
Nadhim Zahawi added he was 'hurt' and 'frightened' by Farage's view .