TORY leader David Cameron got his maths and his message wrong, says the Plymouth man referred to in this week's historic televised leaders debate.
Speaking about immigration to an audience of nine million viewers, Mr Cameron said: "I was in Plymouth recently and a 40-year-old black man... said, 'I came here when I was six, I've served in the Royal Navy for 30 years. I'm incredibly proud of my country. But I'm so ashamed that we've had this out-of-control (immigration) system with people abusing it so badly'."
The man referred to was Plymouth businessman Neal Forde, aged 51.
He told The Herald that he was teased by his workmates yesterday morning.
"I don't mind. At least he took 10 years off my age," said Mr Forde.
"And he said I spent 30 years in the Navy. I was actually in for six years, as a marine engineer serving on HMS Intrepid and HMS Berwick."
Mr Forde was involved in the Icelandic 'Cod Wars' in the late 1970s and left the service in 1980. After 25 years with Marine Projects, he set up his kitchen worktops business, Surface Solutions, in Plymouth.
Mr Forde said none of the parties had the right answers on immigration. "Britain needs immigrants. It's a rich and diverse country with a heritage to be proud of. What I find unacceptable is that the politicians ? Labour, Tory, I can't say Lib-Dem because they haven't been in power ? seem to care more about everybody else and forget the British people."
Mr Forde came to Britain from Barbados at the age of six. He said his parents 'did the right thing ? went to the consulate and got a visa, did everything by the book'.
"In the 1970s and 1980s in Plymouth, there weren't a great many black people and it was hard for us, but we ? Ken (Nairne, his business partner) and our Navy friends ? stayed here and got married and had our children.
"We paid our taxes and did everything right," he said.
"In the past eight years, we have had a lot of other black people coming in and destroying everything we've built up.
"As a black person, I feel the backlash. A friend who has fought two wars for this country was called an asylum- seeker. People can't distinguish.
"Every time a crime is committed by a black person, it reflects on all of us."
Mr Forde said there should be one law for everyone in the country.
He had not yet made up his mind who to vote for in the general election, which he said was 'pivotal'.
"Britain is a great country. What I want the politicians to tell me is what they are going to do to safeguard the British people from the immigrants who come here and commit serious crimes."