Ukip's Godfrey Bloom Denies 'Bongo Bongo Land' Comments are Racist

Ukip politician Godfrey Bloom has shown no remorse for his 'Bongo Bongo Land' slur, saying he will apologise to the ambassador of the non-existent country.

Bloom sparked outcry after he was filmed saying Britain sends billions of pounds in aid to 'Bongo Bongo Land' and the recipients spend this money on "Ray-Ban sunglasses, Ferraris and apartments in Paris."

His comments at an Ukip event in July triggered an investigation "at the very highest level of the party," a spokesman said.

But Bloom was unrepentant when grilled today.

He told listeners: "I'd say "right-o, sorry, sorry everybody if I've offended anybody in bongo bongo land. I shall write the ambassador at the Court of St. James and apologise to him personally."

Soon afterwards, Bloom told TV viewers: "I don't see how anyone can be offended by reference to a country which doesn't exist. It's ridiculous."

Ray-Bans, Ferraris and Fighter Jets

Bloom was originally filmed saying: "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.

"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."

Following the emergence of his comments, Bloom was targeted on Twitter by users branding him "racist."

Black rights activist Lee Jasper called on Ukip to be "brutally punished" at the Euro elections next year.

Conservative MEP Sajjad Karim wrote: "[It] seems they [Ukip] have moved on from being anti-EU to being anti-everything brigade."

Speaking to the BBC this morning, Bloom branded the accusations he was racist as "absurd" and "ridiculous".

"They [critics] are in the business of being offended. I don't represent them and I don't want to represent them. I represent people in the pub, the rugby club and the cricket club. I tell like it is."

Bloom insisted he had no worries about getting in trouble with party leader Nigel Farage.

"They know me by now. My boss isn't David Cameron, my boss is Nigel Farage and thank goodness [he doesn't have] kneejerk reactions to everything like David Cameron."