Ukip leader Nigel Farage insisted yesterday he has had "overwhelming support" from the general public after he criticised NHS treatment of foreigners with HIV during last Thursday's televised debate.

And YouGov put the issue to electors as it conducted a wide-ranging survey on voting intentions ahead of the General Election on May 7.

It asked respondents to the survey: "In the debate Nigel Farage highlighted the issue of immigrants with HIV coming to Britain and receiving treatment on the NHS.

"Would you support or oppose people coming to live in the UK being banned from receiving treatment on the NHS for a period of five years?"

Fifty per cent said they supported a ban, 34% opposed a ban and 16% answered "don't know".

The survey then asked: "And thinking specifically about Nigel Farage's comments, which of the following best reflects your view?

Fifty-two per cent answered: "Nigel Farage was right to raise this issue - immigrants with serious conditions like HIV are costing the health service a large amount of money".

This compared with 37% who answered: "Nigel Farage was just scaremongering - compared to the total cost of the NHS this is a drop in the ocean."

Eleven per cent answered "don't know".

A Ukip spokesman said: "This poll finding shows yet again the disconnect that exists between the Westminster bubble and much of the population.

"Nigel Farage is the one leader who has the political courage to raise difficult issues and clearly millions of voters agree with that stance."

Asked if he made the comments during the debate to spark a reaction, Mr Farage replied yesterday: "I wanted to make people think and understand why their grandmother who is 85 finds it very difficult to get drugs for breast cancer but anybody can get on a plane from anywhere in the world, be HIV tested in London and receive antiretroviral drugs.

"Something, it seems to me, isn't right here."

Mr Farage was ranked the fourth best-performing leader in the debate by the 62% of respondents who watched all or some of the programme.

He received 12% of the vote behind Labour leader Ed Miliband with 14%, Tory Prime Minister David Cameron on 19% and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon with 32%.

YouGov reported 1,906 adults were surveyed between April 3 and 4.

Source: Herald Scotland