Lord Michael Farmer, the British aristocrat and father-in-law of Candace Owens, has publicly distanced himself from her controversial remarks about Jews. Owens' comments have ignited significant backlash on social media, with many accusing her of promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories.
On Monday, Lord Farmer took to X to clarify his stance on antisemitism and Israel’s military actions in Gaza. "Given recent public comments by a prominent family member, I feel compelled to publicly express my views on antisemitism and the ongoing conflict in Gaza." he wrote.
The79-year-old reflected on the atrocities committed against Jews before and during the Second World War, a period that he said shaped his understanding of human cruelty. "As a teenager growing up in the aftermath of WWII, I was deeply affected by the horrors inflicted upon Jewish people simply because they were Jewish." he noted.
Lord Farmer, a significant donor to the UK's Conservative Party, also highlighted his personal connections to the Jewish community, noting that his best man and lifelong friend is Jewish. Additionally, he highlighted his role as the Christian Deputy Chair of the Council for Christians and Jews, an organisation founded in 1942 to combat antisemitism.
Praising Israel as a "rare example of democracy in the Middle East," Lord Farmer emphasised its right to defend itself, particularly in light of the 7th October Hamas attacks, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 1,200 Israelis and left many more in captivity. He acknowledged the suffering of civilians in Gaza but stated that Israel has little choice but to pursue its enemies where they operate, even if that means targeting areas where Hamas hides among innocent civilians.
Owens responded by downplaying any division between her and Lord Farmer. She mentioned that despite having different views on various topics, they share a strong family bond.
In a statement to The New York Post she said: “I so genuinely hate to take the wind out of the media’s sails, but I just returned from a two-week holiday with my father-in-law 72 hours ago.”
“While we have different perspectives on a variety of topics, we do not disagree on what it means to be a family."
Over the weekend, Owens participated in a controversial X Spaces broadcast titled The truth about Zionism, where she suggested Israel was involved in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and made other inflammatory claims. These comments followed her earlier split from the Daily Wire after a public disagreement with co-founder Ben Shapiro over Israel.
This year, Owens publicly converted to Catholicism from previously identifying as a Protestant, posting on social media that she had made the decision to "go home".