Farage faces backlash for backing preacher targeted by Colchester council
The dispute centres on a community protection notice issued against the Bread of Life church, which initially cited noise levels before expanding to include concerns over the content of street sermons.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has drawn sharp criticism from the Labour party for publicly supporting an Essex pastor who faces a council banning order over his street preaching. In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Farage stated he was “fully on your side” in the dispute with Colchester council and offered assistance from the Free Speech Union campaign group.
The controversy centres on Stephen Clayden, who leads the Bread of Life church in Colchester. The council initially sought a community protection notice citing the volume of Clayden’s amplified sermons. However, during a preliminary hearing last week, the council expanded its objections to include the content of the preaching, specifically Clayden’s warnings against homosexuality.
Clayden has acknowledged that the council’s concerns extended beyond noise levels to his church’s doctrinal stance. Footage from last month shows Clayden quoting scripture to describe homosexuality as an “abomination” and stating that those engaging in such acts face eternity in hell. He has maintained that his quotes are drawn directly from the Bible and that he is merely conveying scriptural warnings about sin and judgment.
A Labour spokesperson condemned Farage’s intervention, accusing the Reform UK leader of amplifying “extreme voices” and “grim homophobic remarks.” The spokesperson argued that Farage was throwing his support behind an individual peddling division, stating that Reform UK was not on the side of working people. Farage did not respond to requests for comment regarding the criticism.
Christian Concern, a religious freedom group supporting the church, argued that the notice infringes on lawful freedom of speech and religious expression. A spokesperson for the group noted that the church had been preaching in Colchester for more than six years and that the council only recently began objecting to mentions of hell and judgment. They suggested that national attention on the case would demonstrate the council’s error in attempting to criminalise Christian ministry.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions between local council regulations on street preaching and claims of religious freedom in the UK. Clayden’s Bread of Life church previously preached at Pride Week events in Essex last year, where he described homosexuality as “vile, disgusting and wicked.” The video titled “Farage talks Christianity in Clacton” remains available on Farage’s channel as of the report date.