Godfrey Bloom, UK Independence Party (UKIP) whip, has been suspended for telling a misogynistic joke at a women’s event entitled “Women in Politics.”
“This place is full of sluts,” he declared in response to a woman’s admission that she doesn’t clean behind the fridge.
Bloom insists he meant the old-fashioned usage of the word, meaning untidy, but that particular usage has long been obsolete. He later admitted he was intentionally trying to be provocative.
“Made a purposely outrageous joke among friends which was taken as joke by women present,” he tweeted.
When questioned about the incident he became verbally and physically abusive, hitting a reporter that asked a follow question about the lack of diversity in the party.
Party leader Nigel Farage said Bloom had to go as his antics were a distraction for the UKIP, which is on track to become the third largest political party in the next general election.
“We can’t have any one individual, however fun or flamboyant or entertaining or amusing they are, destroying Ukip’s national conference and that is what he’s done today,” Farage told party members. “I’m sad about that but we can’t tolerate this.”
