UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom has sparked yet another controversy after he referred to developing countries as "Bongo-Bongo Land". In footage obtained by the Guardian, Godfrey Bloom, can be heard arguing it was wrong for Britain to send aid to developing countries while struggling with spending cuts. "How we can possibly be giving a billion pounds a month when we're in this sort of debt to bongo bongo land is completely beyond me," Bloom told a meeting of supporters last month. "To buy Ray-Ban sunglasses, apartments in Paris, Ferraris and all the rest of it that goes with most of the foreign aid."
UKIP has rejected calls by politicians from other parties to expel Bloom from the party. "We are asking Godfrey not to use this phrase again as it might be considered disparaging by members from other countries. However foreign aid is an extremely important debate that needs wider discussion," said party chairman Steve Crowther.
Shadow International Development Minister Rushanara Ali was among many who expressed outrage over Bloom's language. "These are an offensive and narrow-minded set of remarks. The British are among the most generous in the world and recognise that Britain's commitment to international development is both morally right and key to securing our future prosperity. 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'."
Green party leader Natalie Bennett told me that: "Mr bloom's use of language is both highly offensive and telling about both himself and his party. The fact that no action is being taken against him for the remark shows what they are prepared to tolerate - or even expect - from their elected representatives. This is a man ejected from the European Parliament for directing a Nazi slogan at a German colleague and who advised against employing young women because of maternity leave. You might wonder what he would have to do to attract disciplinary action."
A spokesman for a campaign for greater intolerance told the Guardian that the comments reminded him of 1985 when the late Alan Clark, who as an Employment Minister in Mrs Thatcher's government, referred to Africa as just "bongo bongo land". Mr Clark was not sacked by Mrs Thatcher but the comments were brought up when she appointed him as Minister for Trade.
UKIP has been received growing support in Britain's local polls and by-elections, sometimes beating the Tories into third place. But the party has struggled to dispel a perception that it is full of "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists", to use the words of David Cameron in 2006, UKIP rejects that description, accusing Cameron of arrogance and saying it speaks for ordinary, common-sense Britons.
Bloom stood by his "bongo bongo land" comments on Wednesday. "I think I'm standing up for ordinary people at the pub, the cricket club, the rugby club, the sort of people who remain completely unrepresented under the political system that we have," he told BBC Radio 4. If I've offended anybody in bongo bongo land, I shall write to the ambassador ... and apologise to him personally."
