Morrissey has weighed in on the recent UKIP leadership contest, implying that the contest was “rigged” against failed far-right candidate Anne Marie Waters, as The Quietus report.

In a live session with BBC Radio 6 Music aired today (October 2), the former Smiths singer told the audience, “I was very surprised the other day, it was very interesting for me to see Anne Marie Waters become the head of UKIP. Oh no, sorry, she didn’t, the voting was rigged. I forgot.”

Following silence from the audience, Morrissey added: “You didn’t get it, did you? You obviously don’t read the news.”

Waters lost her leadership bid to new UKIP leader Henry Bolton. She first made a name for herself as the co-founder of Pegida UK (Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West), having launched the far-right, anti-Islam organisation with Paul Weston and Tommy Robinson in 2016. She is also the founder of Sharia Watch UK.

Waters stood as UKIP’s candidate for the Lewisham East constituency at the 2015 general election and again in 2017; in the case of the latter she was deselected when party leader Paul Nuttall described her views as “way above and beyond party policy”.

After losing the recent UKIP leadership election to Bolton, Waters tweeted: “Today: Jihad – 1. Truth – 0”.

“Thanks to 6 Music for inviting us along today,” Morrissey added during the session. “We don’t get many invitations, so it’s nice to be on the road.”

Listen to the session here and check out the tracklist – including four new songs – below. Morrissey makes the comments around the 2:20 mark.

Morrissey on BBC 6 Music:

You Have Killed Me
I Wish You Lonely
Spent the Day in Bed
Speedway
Istanbul
Ganglord
Jacky’s Only Happy When She’s Up on the Stage
Back on the Chain Gang
World Peace Is None of Your Business
The Bullfighter Dies
When You Open Up Your Legs
Jack the Ripper
Home Is a Question Mark