Ex-Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage says Clare O’Neil’s tweets criticising Trumps were ‘utterly stupid’

GB News television host Nigel Farage has condemned Australia’s cancel culture and questioned the calibre of parliamentary ministers following social media posts by Minister Clare O’Neil.

Former Brexit Party leader and British broadcaster Nigel Farage has questioned the calibre of cabinet ministers in Australia following the social media furore that erupted after Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil posted multiple tweets attacking Donald Trump and his son.

Mr Farage said the minister’s comments on social media were “utterly stupid” and it “looked comical, it’s so bad it’s funny”.

“Senior people very rarely delete tweets, I think I might have deleted one or two in 10 years … you should just never put yourself in that position, it was a pretty crass statement,” he told The Australian.

Ms O’Neil said in multiple social media posts that have since been deleted, that Mr Trump Jr was a “sore loser” and was “just a big baby” after his upcoming Australian tour was cancelled and she also said he had experienced “poor ticket sales”.

Despite this the organisers of Mr Trump Jr’s tour, Turning Point, said more than 8000 tickets were sold to his shows across the country including in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Mr Farage was due to join Mr Trump Jr in a speaking tour in Australia this week but the trip was cancelled after the American businessman was unable to get a visa until just 24 hours before he was due to leave the US.

A spokesman for Ms O’Neil was contacted for comment but did not respond.

Mr Farage, a presenter at conservative British news channel GB News, also criticised Australia’s cancel culture after a change.org petition drew more than 22,000 signatures calling for Mr Trump Jr to be stopped from getting an Australian visa.

“That’s the embodiment of cancel culture, it’s not only disagreeing with what you have to say or what I think you are going to say, it’s saying I don’t think you’ve got the right to say it,” Mr Farage said. “It really worries me that we have young activist students who don’t seem to be taught in the western world anymore what critical thinking is.”

Mr Farage recently made headlines after winning a British media award, the TRIC award, for best news presenter. Shortly after, organisers sent out a congratulatory tweet but in an unusual move later deleted it.

“I complained bitterly and the tweet was then put back up, but it was almost as if the industry didn’t acknowledge what their own viewers had done (voted for me),” he said. “Media (is) at its very worst, arrogant, out of touch, stuck in capital cities and with a relationship with many of their viewers and listeners that is breaking down.”