A MAJORITY of voters don't believe a new Ukip poster campaign is 'racist' or 'offensive and ignorant', a poll has revealed.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage at the launch of his party's new campaign[PA]Costing £1.5million, and funded by millionaire ex-Conservative donor Paul Sykes, the posters carry messages such as: "26 million people in Europe are looking for work. And whose jobs are they after?"
Earlier this week, Labour MP Mike Gapes branded them "racist", while veteran Tory MP Nicholas Soames, the grandson of Winston Churchill, called the campaign "deeply divisive, offensive and ignorant."
Speaking today, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg also claimed the posters were "based on false claims and fear".
One of the posters, which shows a European Union flag underneath a burning Union flag, was also labelled "disrespectful and inappropriate" by Lord Dannatt, the former head of the British Army.
The posters have attracted criticism from rival parties [PA]A new poll from YouGov reveals most British voters don't share the criticism of the posters
When asked whether they thought the advertising campaign was "racist", 59 per cent disagreed, compared to 34 per cent who agreed.
Among those who are planning to vote Conservative at the next general election, 69 per cent disagreed that the posters were "racist", compared to 27 per cent who agreed.
Similarly, 53 per cent disagreed with a description of the posters as "offensive and ignorant", compared to 39 per cent who agreed.
By contrast, more than half (57 per cent) of those asked agreed the advertising is "a hard-hitting reflection of reality".
Mr Farage has said the campaign shows Ukip is "standing up and speaking for ordinary people" and that the posters use "very cool and calm language".
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