The world has moved too far to the left and the liberal politics endorsed by many mainstream politicians only work to serve the elite and undermine working-class values, John Lydon, the former lead vocalist of the English punk band Sex Pistols, has claimed.

In a damning indictment of the current political landscape across Europe, Lydon, who fronted the band that many consider to have been the forefathers of punk, took aim at the "condescending" symbolic politics employed by self-proclaimed progressives.

Speaking to the German newspaper Die Welt, Lydon, also known by his former stage name Johnny Rotten, accused liberal elites of equating regulated migration with racism, explaining that people are afraid to speak out over fears of being called racist.

"They invite black people to dinner because they are black and because it is trendy, but it's mostly condescending," Lydon said.

"They advocate massive immigration for which there should no longer be any rules because such rules are equated with racism. They quarter the refugees in working-class neighborhoods where the people are already very poor, which in turn leads to more unemployment and more crime.

Lydon points out that "if you say something against it, you will be labeled as a racist. But I'm not a racist and never will be."

"Politics is destroying working-class values ??based on empathy, love, and respect, not stealing from each other and helping each other when you need it. These are all values ??that are now being pushed aside in favor of fashionable elitism," he added.