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UKIP MEP defends aid to 'bongo bongo land' comments 'Bongo Bongo Land': UKIP MEP Bloom told to not to use phrase
(35 minutes later)
A UKIP politician filmed saying British aid should not be sent to "bongo bongo land" has stood by his comments. The UK Independence Party has asked one of its senior politicians not to use the phrase "Bongo Bongo Land" again, warning that people abroad might find it "disparaging".
In film obtained by the Guardian, MEP Godfrey Bloom was recorded telling supporters that aid was spent on items like sunglasses and Ferraris. MEP Godfrey Bloom was recorded saying overseas aid was being spent on items like sunglasses and Ferraris.
He also claimed British aid was spent on fighter planes in Pakistan, which he called "treason" by the UK government. He also claimed UK aid was spent on fighter planes in Pakistan.
Mr Bloom, MEP for Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire, told the BBC giving to charity should be a choice. Mr Bloom stood by his comments, but Labour called his language "offensive and narrow-minded".
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: "What I would argue is that it is for the individual citizen. It's not for the likes of David Cameron to pick up our pockets and send money to the charities of his choice. In footage obtained by the Guardian, recorded last month at a meeting in Wordsley, West Midlands, he said: "How we can possibly be giving £1bn a month, when we're in this sort of debt, to Bongo Bongo Land is completely beyond me.
"If I want to send money to charity, I will do it of my own accord." "To buy Ray-Ban sunglasses, apartments in Paris, Ferraris and all the rest of it that goes with most of the foreign aid."
'Beyond me'
He said that "there are people in this country who can't get treatment for cancer, there are people who are waiting in the queue for dialysis machines" and that "charity begins at home".
He added: "If I've offended anybody in bongo bongo land I will write to their ambassador at the Court of St James."
In the footage obtained by the Guardian, recorded last month at a meeting in Wordsley, West Midlands, Mr Bloom said: "How we can possibly be giving £1bn a month, when we're in this sort of debt, to bongo bongo land is completely beyond me.
"To buy Ray-Ban sunglasses, apartments in Paris, Ferraris and all the rest of it that goes with most of the foreign aid.
"F18s for Pakistan. We need a new squadron of F18s. Who's got the squadrons? Pakistan, where we send the money.""F18s for Pakistan. We need a new squadron of F18s. Who's got the squadrons? Pakistan, where we send the money."
A UKIP spokesman told the Guardian the matter was being "discussed right at the very highest level of the party". Questioned on the BBC News Channel, Mr Bloom, MEP for Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire, said it would be "absurd" and "ridiculous" to label his comments racist.
In the video, Mr Bloom also criticised the European Court of Human Rights and European treaties. He said Bongo Bongo Land was "a figment of people's imagination. It's like Ruritania or the Third World".
"You can torture people to death but you jolly well can't give them a full life sentence because that's against their human rights," he said. He added: "It's sad how anybody can be offended by a reference to a country that doesn't exist."
"We can't hang them because we're now a member of the European Union and it's embedded in the Treaty of Rome." Mr Bloom told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "If I've offended anybody in Bongo Bongo Land I will write to their ambassador at the Court of St James."
Mr Bloom said he would be "delighted" to "throw the rope over the beam" at the hanging of certain criminals. The government has protected the international aid budget from spending cuts.
Mr Bloom said: "What I would argue is that it is for the individual citizen, it's not for the likes of David Cameron to pick up our pockets and send money to the charities of his choice.
"If I want to send money to charity, I will do it of my own accord."
Mr Bloom said there were "people in this country who can't get treatment for cancer, there are people who are waiting in the queue for dialysis machines" and that "charity begins at home".
However, UKIP chairman Steve Crowther said: "We are asking Godfrey not to use this phrase [Bongo Bongo Land] again as it might be considered disparaging by members from other countries.
"However, foreign aid is an extremely important debate that needs wider discussion."
For Labour, shadow international development minister Rushanara Ali said: "These are an offensive and narrow-minded set of remarks."
She added: "If Nigel Farage is serious about getting rid of racism and intolerance in his party, he should take action against UKIP politicians who think it's acceptable to refer to developing countries as 'Bongo Bongo Land'."
Laura Pidcock, from campaign group Show Racism the Red Card, told Today that "these crude stereotypes that see Britain as a civilised place and overseas as tribal" were "incredibly damaging".Laura Pidcock, from campaign group Show Racism the Red Card, told Today that "these crude stereotypes that see Britain as a civilised place and overseas as tribal" were "incredibly damaging".
She added: "I think what Godfrey needs to understand is that intention is irrelevant in defining the outcome of prejudice or the existence of prejudice and actually who defines what political correctness is? In 2010, Mr Bloom, a former investment manager, was ejected from the European Parliament for directing a Nazi slogan at a German colleague.
"Political correctness is not homogenising people, is not saying that they are the ones who need to be civilised - they are still part of this colonial idea of bongo drums.
"Actually he needs to understand that it is highly offensive and what he meant by it isn't important - it's the outcome that's important."
The MEP is no stranger to controversy. In 2010, he was ejected from the European Parliament for directing a Nazi slogan at a German colleague.
And in 2011, he said small firms would have to be "stark staring mad" to hire young women because of the risk of them taking maternity leave at a later stage.And in 2011, he said small firms would have to be "stark staring mad" to hire young women because of the risk of them taking maternity leave at a later stage.