Intervention comes after Mr Farage was dragged into a fresh race storm

Ukip 'hates modern Britain' and is infected with the 'virus of racism', rising Labour star Chuka Umunna has claimed.

The shadow business secretary said Nigel Farage had 'a problem with race' following his remarks last about 'fully black' and 'half black' Ukip supporters.

Mr Umunna's remarks come after Mr Farage dragged into a fresh racism storm after National Front members turned up to campaign for him in his South Thanet constituency.

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Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said Nigel Farage had 'a problem with race' following his remarks last about 'fully black' and 'half black' Ukip supporters

The row started after a group of far-Right supporters calling themselves the East Kent English Patriots supported Mr Farage at an event in Broadstairs on Friday evening.

They were led by Gary Field, a former regional organiser for the English Defence League, and enjoyed the protection of Ukip's security teams, which encircled the Broadstairs Pavilion.

Mr Field, who has a criminal record for assault, drank beers behind the cordon with fellow members of his group and gestured to onlookers as a crowd waited for Mr Farage's arrival.

The Ukip leader moved to disown the far-right campaigners, saying: 'Members of an extremist group today arrived at a Ukip public meeting at the same time as a Mail on Sunday camera arrives.'

But Labour's Mr Umunna, whose father was born in Nigeria, accused Ukip of whipping up 'anti-immigration sentiment'.

Mr Umunna said: 'The likes of Ukip don't like what modern Britain is. They claim to love Britain, but they hate modern Britain. If I'm wrong about that why do we see a stream of invective directed at different groups in society from their candidates and their members?

'There is a virus of racism which runs through that party which they've failed to deal with, and I'm not surprised given their leader doesn't see the need for equalities legislation that we have in Britain today and that we're very proud of.'

UKIP leader Nigel Farage, stopping for a pint in Ramsgate, Kent, was accused of having a 'problem with race'

Gary Field, a former regional organiser for the English Defence League (pictured in the white hat) turned up to campaign for Ukip in South Thanet constituency last week

Last week, Mr Farage defended Ukip's manifesto, which featured only one ethnic-minority person, saying the party had one spokesman who was 'fully black' and another who was 'half black'.

Responding to these remarks, Mr Umunna said: 'I just think the guy's got a problem with race. I'm just saying what I think.

'As a party they've got a problem with race. And I don't think you can kick out racism from their party unless you have got a leadership which understands it and understands race in modern Britain.