LONDON — British politician Nigel Farage on Friday defended a hotel that insisted a breastfeeding mother cover up, suggesting women might “sit in the corner” while they feed their babies.

Farage, leader of Euro-skeptic party UKIP, told LBC radio that public breast-feeding makes some people uncomfortable, and women should do it “in a way that is not openly ostentatious.”

He spoke after a mother, Louise Burns, said staff at upscale hotel Claridge’s asked her to cover herself and her baby with a napkin while feeding her in a communal area.

Farage said the hotel had the right to make its own rules, including asking such women to “perhaps sit in the corner.”

The comments drew a barrage of criticism.

The prime minister’s office said David Cameron did not agree.

Justine Roberts, chief executive of parenting website Mumsnet, said breast-feeding is “a natural, essential human process and those with an issue simply need to get over themselves.”

Farage later released a statement saying, “I personally have no problem with mothers breast-feeding wherever they want.”

But he said that if hotels want “to maintain rules about this stuff, then that is up to them, as it should be.”


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