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Claims by a senior member of UKIP that people moving to Wales to work in organisations like the NHS should learn to speak English has sparked a language row.

The comments were made by the party’s deputy leader Paul Nuttall during a public meeting at the Royal Sportsman Hotel in Porthmadog which was interrupted by Welsh language campaigners last night.

A spokesman for UKIP said that the Mr Nuttall’s comments were made in reference to people coming to work in the UK and not local residents.

But the campaigners, who were asked to leave the meeting after heckling Mr Nuttall, said that the party had “no respect” for the Welsh language.

One of the activists, Dr Simon Brooks, is angry that there was no option to ask questions in Welsh during the meeting.

He said: “I was unhappy because feel UKIP are a party who target minorities.

“UKIP are always saying people should speak English but they come to a mainly Welsh speaking town and have no translation facilities, no Welsh leaflets and no Welsh-speaking representatives, in a town where the majority of people speak Welsh is a disgrace.”

'No respect'

“It’s extremely hypocritical.

“I don’t understand what they were doing in a town like Porthmadog.

“I came here as a member of the public and not as a member of any party.

“UKIP clearly have no respect for the Welsh language.

A spokesman for UKIP said: “Mr Nutall said that people coming here to the UK should be proficient in English before taking up jobs in organisations like the NHS.”

Royal Sportsman Hotel marketing manager Ian Spindley said that following the disturbance, hotel staff acted immediately to respond and the protesters left peacefully soon after.

He added: “A legitimate public meeting by the United Kingdom Independence Party in our hotel lounge was interrupted by two local Welsh language activists.

Politically neutral

“We have consistently said our hotel wants to be at the very heart of this local community, and many more first-language Welsh people locally and from across Wales now enjoy our facilities and service.

“At the hotel we are professionally politically neutral and will hire out our lounge meeting room to any legitimate community organisation, including political parties.

“In fact, senior Plaid Cymru politicians have met here recently, and we allow other local community and charity groups to use it for free.

“While it was a public meeting, we were unwilling to risk any other guests’ enjoyment of their stay.

“We appreciate feelings run high during election campaigns - but all customers must respect others’ rights on our private premises.”