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| 'Bongo Bongo Land': UKIP MEP Bloom told not to use phrase | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 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". | 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". |
| MEP Godfrey Bloom was recorded saying overseas aid was being 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 UK aid was spent on fighter planes in Pakistan. | He also claimed UK aid was spent on fighter planes in Pakistan. |
| Mr Bloom stood by his comments, but Labour called his language "offensive and narrow-minded". | Mr Bloom stood by his comments, but Labour called his language "offensive and narrow-minded". |
| 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. | 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. |
| "To buy Ray-Ban sunglasses, apartments in Paris, Ferraris and all the rest of it that goes with most of the foreign aid. | "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." |
| 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. | 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. |
| He said Bongo Bongo Land was "a figment of people's imagination. It's like Ruritania or the Third World". | He said Bongo Bongo Land was "a figment of people's imagination. It's like Ruritania or the Third World". |
| He added: "It's sad how anybody can be offended by a reference to a country that doesn't exist." | He added: "It's sad how anybody can be offended by a reference to a country that doesn't exist." |
| 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 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." |
| The government has protected the international aid budget from spending cuts. | 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. | 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." | "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". | 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, 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." | "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." | 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'." | 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". |
| The annual accounts for the Department for International Development show that £203.1m was spent on Pakistan in 2012-13. | The annual accounts for the Department for International Development show that £203.1m was spent on Pakistan in 2012-13. |
| They state that the largest amount of the money of 31.4% was spent on education, benefiting nearly 2m schoolchildren, 21.1% on tackling "poverty, hunger and vulnerability", 14.2% on humanitarian aid - such as flood assistance, 12.6% on reproductive, maternal and newborn health and the rest on global partnerships, governance and security (including elections), health and wealth creation. | They state that the largest amount of the money of 31.4% was spent on education, benefiting nearly 2m schoolchildren, 21.1% on tackling "poverty, hunger and vulnerability", 14.2% on humanitarian aid - such as flood assistance, 12.6% on reproductive, maternal and newborn health and the rest on global partnerships, governance and security (including elections), health and wealth creation. |
| In 2010, Mr Bloom, a former investment manager, was ejected from the European Parliament for directing a Nazi slogan at a German colleague. | In 2010, Mr Bloom, a former investment manager, 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. |