UKIP's Godfrey Bloom under fire over 'demeaning' joke

[Chippiewill]

A UKIP politician has had the party whip removed after joking that a group of female activists were "*****".

MEP Godfrey Bloom made the comments while addressing a "women in politics" event at UKIP's annual conference.

Challenged afterwards, he said it had been a joke. The remark prompted laughter from some of those present.

But UKIP leader Nigel Farage said he believed disciplinary action should be taken, since the row had overshadowed his earlier conference speech.

Mr Farage said he did not have the power to suspend him without the authority of the party chairman and governing executive but would recommend sanctions against the Yorkshire and Humber MEP who he said had "gone beyond the pale".


UKIP chairman Steve Crowther later confirmed the whip would be removed from Mr Bloom, suspending him from formal involvement in party business.

The sanction does not affect his position as an MEP.

In a fringe meeting at the party's annual conference in London, Mr Bloom made reference to previous comments he had made about women not cleaning behind the fridge.

When the women at the meeting said they had never cleaned behind their fridges, he said: "This place is full of *****."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24175041

Can't say I'm surprised, he's been ramping up on the offensive side for a while and it does not make UKIP look good in any capacity. It is particularly damaging as he is perhaps the second most prominent member of UKIP.

Thoughts?

@-:Undertaker:-;

[-:Undertaker:-]

While it certainly looks bad and has ruined the entire conference (as Farage said), I would say that it has been welllllllllll blown out of proportion. The main incident which was calling a room full of women '*****' sounds to our generation as in the sexual word of being promiscious, but as my mum explained to me: years ago it used to mean untidy. Indeed if you listen to the recording, all of the women in the room laughed. It was a joke and having met him myself I can confirm that he's very old fashioned in his language - and he really is a nice guy (he left our table £30 for drinks as he had to leave early ).

The second incident with Michael Crick really got my blood boiling, although maybe he shouldn't of acted in the way he had (although that said, Crick had it coming) - the fact that Crick was asking Bloom why there weren't any black faces on a sodding leaflet I found as a white person to be a very racist comment and asked myself what would happen if someone like Bloom had asked why there were so many black faces in a Labour Party leaflet? work it out.

All that said, he should have known better and handled it better as the media are dying to jump down their throats. I knwo Farage though has his hands tied with this one but I do hope Bloom remains in the party and returns as an MEP as he's my favourite MEP in Brussels.

Video for people who haven't yet seen - classic TV moment

Warning: Contains inappropriate content Hide

[Inseriousity.]

Listening to the recording doesn't really prove everyone in the room laughed as clearly those who didn't laugh wouldn't be heard. I saw one report that someone rolled their eyes like 'oh here he goes again.' Despite that, what is obvious from the recording is that it was said in jest but I can also see why UKIP had to suspend him

[Ardemax]

Too far this time, Bloomy.

If you crack under pressure from reporters then you are not a suitable politician and Mr. Bloom has here demonstrated his incapability of keeping a cool head when faced by provocative media questions.

UKIP need to get rid of him asap to avoid further damaging their image (Farage knows this all too well).

It would be nice to see a comeback from this, but I'm not sure it will happen quickly.

[Chippiewill]

If you crack under pressure from reporters then you are not a suitable politician and Mr. Bloom has here demonstrated his incapability of keeping a cool head when faced by provocative media questions.

Whilst I agree it was an inappropriate reaction I think he was actually joking around.

[Ardemax]

Whilst I agree it was an inappropriate reaction I think he was actually joking around.

He has a funny way of showing it. He is someone I'd prefer to see out of politics to be frank and UKIP would be better off without him to attract more voters.

[AgnesIO]

While it certainly looks bad and has ruined the entire conference (as Farage said), I would say that it has been welllllllllll blown out of proportion. The main incident which was calling a room full of women '*****' sounds to our generation as in the sexual word of being promiscious, but as my mum explained to me: years ago it used to mean untidy. Indeed if you listen to the recording, all of the women in the room laughed. It was a joke and having met him myself I can confirm that he's very old fashioned in his language - and he really is a nice guy (he left our table £30 for drinks as he had to leave early ).

All that said, he should have known better and handled it better as the media are dying to jump down their throats. I knwo Farage though has his hands tied with this one but I do hope Bloom remains in the party and returns as an MEP as he's my favourite MEP in Brussels.

Video for people who haven't yet seen - classic TV moment

Warning: Contains inappropriate content Hide

"Asked about the latest furore, Diane James - one of the most senior female figures in the party - said the language was "demeaning" but "did not reflect the views" of most UKIP members." I think we can assume this is one person who didn't laugh, and I don't think you can honestly say "all the women in the room laughed" - as you clearly have no proof of this whatsoever! One can be old fashioned in their language, but what if - for example - a politician stands up referring to the "n word" black people - another word which was very common place not so long ago.

It simply doesn't look good for a party that DOES have to prove itself, whether rightly or wrongly, as all "up and coming" things do. This happening just a day after channel 4 did a report on Nigel Farage and his teachers thoughts on him in the midst of their conference is hardly the news UKIP needed.

I have to say, I think Godfrey Bloom looks like a violent hideous man, based on that video you posted. Whilst I do not think the question on skin colour was necessary, it was not racist and is a FAIR QUESTION for a party that is trying to put itself across as an inclusive group - you would think that they might have a bit of variance in skin colours on a brochure that has over 100 faces on it.

[-:Undertaker:-]

I have to say, I think Godfrey Bloom looks like a violent hideous man, based on that video you posted. Whilst I do not think the question on skin colour was necessary, it was not racist and is a FAIR QUESTION for a party that is trying to put itself across as an inclusive group - you would think that they might have a bit of variance in skin colours on a brochure that has over 100 faces on it.

Why would a brochure with 150 odd elected UKIP councillors on it have black faces included when they are not elected UKIP councillors?

[AgnesIO]

Why would a brochure with 150 odd elected UKIP councillors on it have black faces included when they are not elected UKIP councillors?

Why would Godfrey Bloom go mad and become a rude, ugly man at the result of someone asking? Maybe it says something when they do not have a single black councillor...

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 4

[Chippiewill]

Why would a brochure with 150 odd elected UKIP councillors on it have black faces included when they are not elected UKIP councillors?

I think he was implying that by there being no black people on the brochure that there were no black councillors which implies that UKIP doesn't accept black people as it's not representative of the population.

He has a funny way of showing it. He is someone I'd prefer to see out of politics to be frank and UKIP would be better off without him to attract more voters.

Dry humor is easy to miss, that said it's not appropriate for a politician.