Ulster Unionist Health spokesperson Roy Beggs MLA has called for UKIP MLA David McNarry to publicly disassociate himself from remarks made by a UKIP Council candidate in Kent, who called for a review to look at the compulsory abortion of foetuses with Down’s Syndrome or spina bifida and also look at medical treatment for those aged over 80 with a view to “legalising euthanasia and giving free euthanasia advice to all folk over 80".

Mr Beggs said:

“I was absolutely horrified by the remarks of Geoffrey Clark, a UKIP Council candidate in Kent, who called for an NHS review to look at the compulsory abortion of foetuses with Down’s Syndrome or spina bifida as a means of cutting the national debt”.  

The UKIP council candidate stated that the review should look at "compulsory abortion when the foetus is detected as having Down's, spina bifida or similar syndrome which, if it is born, could render the child a burden on the state as well as on the family".

The Ulster Unionist MLA also expressed concern at other comments by the UKIP candidate, Mr Clark who said the review should look at medical treatment for those aged over 80 "which is disproportionately costly to the NHS" and might also include "legalising euthanasia and giving free euthanasia advice to all folk over 80".

In conclusion Roy Beggs MLA said, "These views are quite incredible and deeply offensive and the entire local community will be wondering just how widespread this type of thinking is within UKIP.  They are similar to the views and actions of Nazis during World War II.  I believe that Northern Ireland’s only UKIP MLA needs to publicly disassociate himself from these foul remarks and reassure the voters of Strangford.”