Farage criticises media over Ukip councillor who blamed floods on gay marriage The establishment, the status quo, the big businesses, the big Eurocrats and our three so-called main political parties are scared witless by what Ukip is doing because we are striking a chord not just for ordinary people but for many elements in the business community as well. They will try to do whatever they can to shoot us down. Mr Farage who was speaking in a question-and-answer session in the City on the European Union, said to the media afterwards: "If you accept defectors from the Conservative Party you will always have embarassments. Mr Silvester joined us from the Conservatives very recently - he said exactly the same things when he was in the Conservative Party; now he is Ukip you are interested. Mr Farage's remarks were made after Mr Silvester claimed the country had been "beset by storms" since the passage of the new law on gay marriage because David Cameron had acted "arrogantly against the Gospel." He was suspended by Ukip after defying a request not to do further interviews on his beliefs following his initial claims made in a letter to a local newspaper. His suspension came as Mr Farage launched a clearout of "extremist, nasty or barmy" views from the party ahead of polls in May. Mr Silvester said he had warned the Prime Minister of "repercussions" if gay marriage had gone ahead and told BBC Radio Berkshire that his daily prayers convinced him the recent flooding was the consequence. I believe as a Christian I should love gay people, and indeed I do. The councillor said Ukip had told him not to give any more interviews. The party, which initially supported him after his letter to the Henley Standard newspaper, has now used emergency powers to suspend him. Ukip's south east chairman, Roger Bird, said: "We cannot have any individual using the Ukip banner to promote their controversial personal beliefs which are not shared by the party. It is not fair on the many thousands of hard-working members of Ukip to have one person take attention away from their efforts and successes by promoting their own controversial views despite being requested not to do so.