ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

Nigel Farage today caused controversy by criticising the UK’s “gross policy of multiculturalism” in the wake of the Paris attacks.

Deputy premier Nick Clegg accused the Ukip leader of exploiting the tragedy for “political points” and to imply wrongly that British Muslims are “part of the problem”.

Mr Clegg clashed passionately with a caller called Omar who suggested the Paris attacks had been provoked during his weekly LBC programme.

“There can be no excuse, no reason, no explanation,” hit back the Deputy Prime Minister. “They have killed cartoonists who have done nothing more than draw drawings which they so happened to find offensive.

“And do you know what? Here’s the bottom line, Omar, at the end of the day in a free society, people have to be free to offend each other.

“You cannot have freedom unless people are free to offend. We have no right not to be offended.”

Reacting to the atrocity last night, Mr Farage said the attack was the result of "having a fifth column" living in Western countries opposed to their ideals.

He told Channel 4 News: "There is a very strong argument that says that what happened in Paris today is a result - and we've seen it in London too - is a result I'm afraid of now having a fifth column living within these countries.

"We've got people living in these countries, holding our passports, who hate us.

"Luckily their numbers are very, very small but it does make one question the whole really gross attempt at encouraged division within society that we have had in the past few decades in the name of multiculturalism."