Not living in Yorkshire it doesn’t apply
If you hate listening to audio or watching video (as opposed to reading the printed word) as much as we do, or if you’re just at work and can’t, here’s a complete transcript – courtesy of one of our splendid readers – of this morning’s BBC Breakfast appearance from UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom.
Once again, the very last line of the transcript is the killer.
SIMON McCOY: A senior UKIP politician has been filmed saying Britain should not send aid to what he called “Bongo-Bongo Land”. Godfrey Bloom, who’s an MEP, made the comment in a video obtained by the Guardian newspaper. Mr Bloom, who denies being a racist, claims that the countries given the money sometimes squander it on luxury goods. Here’s exactly what he said:
(video footage): We’ve been let down, time and time again. How we can possibly be giving a £1 billion a month when we’re in this sort of debt, to Bongo-Bongo Land, to buy Rayban sunglasses, apartments in Paris, Ferraris, and all the rest of it that goes with most foreign aid.
F-18s for Pakistan – we need a new squadron of F-18s, a couple of squadrons. Who’s got the squadrons? Pakistan, where we send the money! I mean, again, I’m going to have to come back to that word, I’m very sorry to use it again, it’s treason. It’s treason.
McCOY: A heart-felt speech from Godfrey Bloom, who’s in our house studio for us this morning. Good morning to you.
BLOOM: Good morning to you!
McCOY: Hindsight’s a wonderful thing. Do you regret making those comments?
BLOOM: I never regret anything I say. It was a public meeting, and if I regret it… I’m not a Conservative politician, instinctive political correctness, I tell it how it is, and that’s what they like in Yorkshire, which is where I’m speaking to you from.
McCOY: Where is ‘Bongo-Bongo Land’ then?
BLOOM: It’s a figment of everybody’s imagination. It’s like Ruritania or the Third World. It is just an alliteration to somewhere which represents, erm, a lot of the places where our money goes. £1 billion, incidentally, in that speech, that I repeat it – £1 billion a month, when people here in Hull are waiting for cancer treatment and there’s not enough money. Treason is the word I use; treason it is.
McCOY: What do you say to Laura Pidcock? She’s from the educational charity, ‘Show Racism The Red Card’. She says your suggestion that the money goes to buying designer sunglasses and apartments is offensive to people who live in abject poverty.
BLOOM: No. She clearly didn’t listen to the whole speech. What I was saying was, some of the money finds the right place. But the point I’m making is, it is for people to give money to charities in the philanthropic society – and we are, and we are – according to their choice.
It is not for rich men, like David Cameron, to take tax from old-age pensioners in my constituency, and hand it out willy-nilly, with no audit trail. There’s no audit trail – we don’t know where most of this money goes, you know.
McCOY: Your party, UKIP, is saying that this is being discussed at the highest level within the party. What would you say to them if they said you had to be a bit more careful about your language in future?
BLOOM: Er, well, they know me by now. My boss isn’t David Cameron, my boss is Nigel Farage, and thank goodness he doesn’t… he’s not Pavlov’s dog, knee-jerk reaction to everything like David Cameron seems to be. The point that I made, and I’m very very glad that I used that phraseology, because I’ve done six radio shows already this morning.
I’m bringing to people’s attention the reason that we’re cutting A&E hospitals, the reasons we’re cutting defence, the reason we’re cutting police. We don’t have to if we stop giving what is 100% very nearly of our GDP growth from 2014. It’s treason, it’s a disgrace, and I’m very glad to flag it up. And already this morning, only halfway through, I’ve had messages of support from all over the country.
McCOY: What do you say to those people – and there are people out there, because we’ve had messages, some in support of what you say. Some have been offended by what you said. So what do you say to them?
BLOOM: I don’t see how anybody can be offended by a reference to a country that simply doesn’t exist. It’s ridiculous, and it tells you that it’s August and we’re in the Silly Season.
Now I know I’ve offended some Guardian journalists, but I’m a UKIP MEP. I get paid to upset Guardian journalists, that’s what I get paid to do. And if I’ve upset them, I’m very glad indeed.
McCOY: Do you not accept that the use of the phrase “Bongo-Bongo Land” is inherently racist?
BLOOM: No I don’t. That’s only in the BBC’s politically-correct mind. Are you accusing me of being a racist?
McCOY: Do you… do you think you are?
BLOOM (threateningly): Think very carefully. Think very carefully before you answer that. Are you accusing me of being a racist?
McCOY: No, my answer is a question: do you think you are?
BLOOM (angrily): Don’t be absurd! Ridiculous!
McCOY: A lot of people watching this will, may have some sympathy with what you’re saying. What they disagree with is the way you said it. Use of words like “Bongo-Bongo Land” and the manner in which it was said. Do you accept that some may be offended by that?
BLOOM: Erm, the people who are offended by this are normally left-wing journalists who want to be offended. They are in the business of being offended. I don’t represent them – I don’t want to represent them.
I represent people at the pub, the cricket club, the rugby club, here in Yorkshire, and I tell it like it is, which is why my vote went up in 2009, and I suspect if I stand again it will go up again. They like it up here in Yorkshire, telling it like it is. What a shame more politicians don’t do that.
McCOY: If UKIP came to power at the next election and you had a wider stage, what would you do with the aid budget?
BLOOM: I’d cancel it completely. Er, aid is for emergencies, and we’d keep it for emergencies, like a tsunami or an earthquake, and it’s quite right and proper that the country helps those people. What I would do, I would reduce taxes to give more people money in their pocket, and then they can be philanthropic with it as they chose.
But I say again, I’ve got old-age pensioners here, up in Yorkshire, trying to stretch by on £105 a week, waiting for medical treatment, while we give money away. It’s a disgrace. And I think most of your viewers will view it as a disgrace.
McCOY: They may not view as a disgrace any money that saves lives abroad, and there’s obvious evidence that money sent from this country does.
BLOOM: Money sent from the country, under the right circumstances, is fine, but there’s a moral issue here. I agree there’s a moral issue. Er, people should give money to charity, I believe they should, I do myself. It is not the government’s role to take money by threats of force, which is what taxation is, and give it to countries – and the whole of that speech is worth listening to – Pakistan brought F-18s, a squadron of F-18s.
Some of our money goes to Argentina – I bet people didn’t know that – who just brought twenty Mirage jets from Spain, which might be used as a hostile attack again on the Falklands. Some of it goes to India, where they have a nuclear aircraft carrier and a space program. I say again, treason! Treason is the word.
McCOY: Thank you very much for joining us, Godfrey Bloom. Thank you for your time this morning.
BLOOM: You’re very welcome.
CARRIE GRACIE: Let us know what you think. 61124…
McCOY: A lot of you already are!
GRACIE: Is the aid budget treason, or what? Yeah. Just keep them coming in.
McCOY: Most of them, at the moment, are supporting it. Er, “Well done Mr Bloom, for speaking for the majority”, says this text. “Hooray!” is another. Do let us know. 61124.
Certainly doesn’t speak for Yorkshire that I grew up in.
Is the MSM’s love in with Farage going to continue? Sadly I think it is…Here you have an elected representative of UKIP going on about “Bongo-Bongo land”, and saying the aid budget should be scrapped. FFS, what a disgrace. To think the MSM in Scotland were outraged when Farage was run out of Edinburgh as well.
The man was very clear in his meaning. He does not want money spent on aid and he would use the money to reduce taxes. A right wing message couched in nasty terms.
I am proud that we have an aid budget and that, even when times are hard, we give to those less fortunate. I certainly don’t mind the state being a major actor in this. The point I would agree on is that we need to ensure that aid reaches and helps the right people.
Lastly, it is worth noting that even his example of the F18s in Pakistan had an underlying point – he wanted the money spent on F18s (or whatever) for the British military, rather than helping the poor! I cannot support anything he said, even if a couple of elements within his diatribe were things one might support.
Video capture: See message under “Contact Us”.
Robert
Two things immediately jumped out at me from that –
BLOOM: I never regret anything I say. Seriously? Why would anyone want to be represented by someone who thinks they are infalible?
And also, his argument as a whole doesn’t make sense, saying that overseas aid is a large part of “the reason that we’re cutting A&E hospitals, the reasons we’re cutting defence, the reason we’re cutting police.” Yet when asked what he would do with the money he says ‘cut taxes’. How exactly will that help prevent the things he’s saying overseas aid is preventing now?
Massive support for Bongo man in the BTL comments in Telegraph and Mail (What do you expect, I suppose?)
As R.L.Stevenson once said of the English character: “He may be amused by a foreigner, as by a monkey, but will never condescend to study him with any patience”
The thing I find interesting about this interview is he claims not to represent the lefties. I’m sorry Mr Bloom, but if they’re in your constituency you represent them. This is what is wrong with the political system in this country. A tiny amount of tPoliticians are actually democratically elected, and of those who are, the vast majority ignore vast swathes of thier constituents. Until Parliament can be held to account by the people we are at thier Mercy.
I wonder how Bongo Bongo Corporation Scotland will deal with this – another hush job?
I wonder what the newly appointed Governor of the Punjab, Mohammed Sarwar has to say about this? UKIP have by definition just called him a ("Tractor" - Ed).
By the way the PAF don’t have F-18s.
John Lyons says:
7 August, 2013 at 12:47 pm
The thing I find interesting about this interview is he claims not to represent the lefties. I’m sorry Mr Bloom, but if they’re in your constituency you represent them. This is what is wrong with the political system in this country. A tiny amount of tPoliticians are actually democratically elected, and of those who are, the vast majority ignore vast swathes of thier constituents. Until Parliament can be held to account by the people we are at thier Mercy.
Exactly!! The trouble with politicians in Westminster is their delusion that they are elected to ‘rule’ the people instead of being elected to ‘represent’ the people, and by that, it means ALL the people in their constituency, not just the ones that voted for them or agree with their point of view. In the case of this particular individual, an odious and rascist point of view! John Lyons
link to theguardian.com
They seemed to have missed an option, though I’m not sure whether the Rev’s moderation policy would allow the suggestion. I suspect many people have an excellent idea of where he can get to however.
Jeez!! You’ve got to be quick to edit any post on here!!! Tried to edit out ‘John Lyons’ after my wee comment! 🙁
I guess this is why BT are so keen to distance themselves from UKIP – they’re quick to promote the UK’s large aid budget as a great advantage of the union (something that certainly appeals to most Scots), while south of the border there’s a growing rise in support of the type of politics seen here.
We recently had our local MP Michael McCann give a talk at our church on his work in the International Development Select Committee. No matter our views on independence, Westminster or the Labour party, not one person in the room would argue for scrapping foreign aid after we saw the great things that our money is doing.
The question of corruption was of course raised, but McCann made an interesting point: of course we must not give money to line the pockets of corrupt men, but even where there is corruption, some of the money is reaching the people who need it most. It’s easy to say that the government should stop giving to, for example, the DPRC, but what of the needy people who are benefitting? It is far better to try to stop the corruption than to wash your hands of a place.
UKIP simply extend overseas the logic of austerity towards the poor and vulnerable. The rationale sems to be that these people are to blame for the UK’s economic plight – as if caring for such people is a blight on our character rather than a strength.
The people that support these policies seem to live in the 19th century or something. They always seem to be up for a bit of military spend, campaign and celebration though regardless of the cost (money and/or lives).
…. to take money by threats of force, which is what taxation is….
And just where have I heard that before? Oh yes, it’s in the mouths of assorted American rightwingers who believe everyone should pay for their own medical care and they don’t want the government taking money from them to pay for the treatment of someone else’s child when they may need it to treat their own child.
Yet another case of “Political Correctness” and “offensive” being thrown about like slurs.
What a poisonous man. PC is IMPORTANT. Offense causes tangible harm to people.
Every time we get a bigot like this on the telly taking about how the left is “Looking to be offended” I actually want someone to step the fuck in, skelp him across the jaw and tell him “You are insulting people. Taking offense from your hatred is the natural response because you’re trying to hurt them.”.
As a gay guy, I can tell you thenow that I’m not “Looking to be offended” when folk make jokes, so much as a hell of a lot of the “gay jokes” are actually just blatant or masked homophobia made from prejudice that hates being challenged. Admitting that you either A. weren’t considerate enough to think of that or B. actually hate X group and just don’t care is tough: as he’s done here: “Don’t give aid to foreigners. I’m not a racist.” – makes it hard to pin him down unless the media would take a damn stand against this kind of bullshit.
Morag
There are a lot of anarchists who also feel that taxation is theft, or some such. It is not solely the belief of right wing libertarians. That perhaps highlights the hollowness of the left v right political paradigm.
Holy fecking moley. A card carrying basket case and then some.
We really, really, really must vote YES next year. I want no part of any government where a piece of work like that gets to carry any form of influence.
It’s true though, isn’t it, that a lot of the aid budget is currently spent helping the London cronies of Westminster politicians get arms deals and other kinds of backhanders.
I guess it is the modus operandi of UKIP types – find something that is genuinely a bit dodgy and in need of reform, and use that as a reason to scrap it, rather than reform it.
I would hope that in an independent Scotland people would rise above this simple us vs them opposition. Just because UKIP suggests scrapping something does not mean it is automatically a good thing worth preserving. There are other options than preserving the status quo or scrapping whole sections of the system. I look forward to deep reforms to make the systems work for ordinary people and not in the interests of the rich and powerful. That’s not going to happen under Westminster rule but it just might be possible if we vote Yes.
.
The UKIP View of Scotland…. Bongo Bongo land
I know it’s the Daily Flail, but still – the comments, and ratings of them, on their story about this are more horrific than actual Bongogate.
link to dailymail.co.uk
The sooner we’ve nothing to do with people like that, the better.
It’s simple, it’s insulting to ‘foreigners’ it’s attractive to the voters in England.
That I’m afraid, is the reality of the politics of large parts of GB at the moment.
Vote Yes
Re. Daily Mail article. I decided to register so lets see if my post gets through.
Thanks Archie.
———————————————————————————————
I recently read an account btl, of Nigerian churches providing food aid in Aberdeen. The oil capital of Europe. Go figure?
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Bloom’s website has the following statement:
At a public speech in the West Midlands in early July I used a term which I subsequently gather under certain circumstances could be interpreted as pejorative to individuals and possibly cause offence. Although quite clearly no such personal usage was intended, I understand from UKIP Party Chairman Steve Crowther and leader Nigel Farage that I must not use the terminology in the future, nor will I and sincerely regret any genuine offence which might have been caused or embarrassment to my colleagues.
My aim, successful as it appears, was to demonstrate the immorality of sending £1 billion per month abroad when we are desperately short of money here. Ring fenced overseas aid at nearly 70% of estimated GDP growth next year, some to buy arms – Mirage fighters in Argentina is just one example.
My constituents come first and always will, they put me here to speak for them.
Is it ok to have vomit coming out of your eyeballs or should I see a doctor?
I assume the “certain circumstances” are whenever anybody uses the term.
Although I accept that most UKIP representatives fall under what I would categorise as ‘clowns’ … I do find it sad that the substantive point about funding foreign nuclear powers and space race countries with aid* from our coffers, while our NHS waiting lists, social work demands and welfare budget grow day on day seems lost on the majority of WoS posters.
The guy may be an prejudiced erse ….. but he makes a valid point …. and no amount of ‘political correctness’ changes that.
The simple truth already highlighted by Simon, and alluded to by India’s recent intervention on our foreign aid policy, is that much of it is sweetners for all sorts of nefarious political activity.
Hang on, hang on. What’s being done with the money we’re to save on the aid budget? Is it going to A&Es in Yorkshire, or in my pocket so I can spend in the Oxfam?
To adapt a rather elegant counter insult constructed by George Boole in his An essay towards a calculus of deductive reasoning 1847.
The pursuits of the politician “have not only trained him to that acute scent, to that delicate, almost instinctive, tact which, in the twilight of probability, the search and discrimination of its finer facts demand; they have gone to cloud his vision, to indurate his touch, to all but the blazing light, the iron chain of demonstration, and left him out of the narrow confines of his science, to a passive credulity in any premises, or to an absolute incredulity in all.
As for the comments on political correctness. I would rather have the opportunity to highlight the absolute ridiculousness of such comments than have some sort of PC brigade police commentary allowing these type of knuckle dragging views or comments to remain buried and inaccessible from view.
Its right that we should be offended by some peoples comments or views. Maybe, just maybe it will spurn you ‘the offended’ into writing a strongly worded letter to the BBC regarding the content of this interview, or maybe, it might motivate you to organise and counter his claims through reasoned argument and or demonstration. If we are not offended then we are not the compassionate nor empathetic society in which we think we live in.
In other words this chap comes across as an absolute moron where as if his comments are censored then we might not know this until its too late.
It’s a figment of everybody’s imagination. It’s like Ruritania or the Third World.
Is… Is he saying the Third World doesn’t exist?!?
Taranaich.
Perhaps you would explain to us exactly what the third world is. If it is poor countries presumably that means those countries wouldn’t be able to afford nuclear weapons.
Typical UKIP. I don’t believe in political correctness, but if you call me a racist I’ll sue you.
What a laughable, and at the same time sick making, tit.
Let it be known that from today the chap called Godfrey Bloom MEP will now be titled ‘Bongo Bongo Bloom’, in recognition for the sterling work in relation to being an idiot… and Bawbag Nigel’s pal.
“Join UKIP today, it’s full of Bawbags and Bongo Blooms”
I understand he may not have used the correct words to get his point across but does any one else find it funny that the NHS had 30 million pounds cut from it incidentally the foreign aid budget went up by 30 million pounds ? while i dont share his view of cutting all foreign aid but we need to think of the other people hear at home where homelessness is at an all time high, the Medical service is woefully under funded and the average UK tax payer will eventually be told they have to pay more for services that most take for granted. I feel cutting foreign aid rather than increasing it would have been the right thing to do as their would be a lot more that could be sorted at home.
There is an old saying : charity starts at home
I feel that the main reason we give so much foreign aid at present is threw social Guilt i.e we have more than them lets show the world that despite we are nearly broke and are having major problems financially we will support those we once suppressed under our rule as the British Empire so we must give to them as the other nations will look at us differently and we must bee seen to be what we once were.
As a previous post pointed out just exactly what is this geezer proposing and he’s taking the attack on the vulnerable one step further. Why is he not questioning the horrendous attack on the poorest and most vulnerable in our own country, at the hands of the so called government which should be working in the best interests of its own people as well as working fr the common good. It’s crucial that we as a rich country, continue to support others in turmoil to keep some kind of stability intact and as a tiny gesture regards the mess we left behind when colonising other People’s countries. Charity begins at home, as they say? Lets hope that folk delve a bit deeper into the implications of what this idiot is actually proposing as party policy and in making it acceptable. We’ve come too far for that codswollop to be taken seriously.
Everybody please note; Bongo Bongo Bloom is not proposing to cut overseas aid and use the money saved to improve services at home, he is proposing to cut overseas aid and use the money saved to fund tax cuts. Don’t expect “the NHS” to suddenly be awash with cash under a UKIP government.
I actually had a txt read out on five live last night on this subject, not all the txt was read out, shame that, the txt read:
Yes we can talk about foreign aid but that chap and his bongo jibe was well out of order and sounded very racist…
They did not read out the end of my txt which was:
UKIP eh or just England.
For anyone to even attempt to support this racist idiot by saying he has a “valid point phrased badly”, is to reveal their own underlying bigoted thoughts. This man is an imbecile and anyone who supports his statement is as intolerant as he is.
Views from the “Traditional Britain Group” on Channel 4 website. The bongo bongo land terminology fits in very well with “Traditional Britain”.
link to channel4.com
‘For anyone to even attempt to support this racist idiot by saying he has a “valid point phrased badly”, is to reveal their own underlying bigoted thoughts. This man is an imbecile and anyone who supports his statement is as intolerant as he is.’ – Nice strawman there Richard. ….
…For anyone to discount a point of debate because it is expressed badly, or by someone of a distasteful nature, rather than on the basis of the validity of the point is to reveal their own underlying intolerance ……. I’m sure you saw what I did there.
What I didn’t do is give succour to the distasteful general nature of UKIP or their policies.
What I did do is state that a policy of subsidising states that can afford nuclear weapons or space programs seems foolish. … and I’d be grateful if you could cite your quote, since my post read – “The guy may be an prejudiced erse ….. but he makes a valid point ”
Anything else exists only in your mind, or was deliberately misquoted and out of context.
Apologies to other readers, but it is poor form to be accused of being a racist without foundation, and I will not allow it to stand unchallenged. ….. besides this is drifting off topic.
The left leaning press have a hissy fit five weeks after a speech said in a public forum: Opportunism over words whilst ignoring the morality of giving aid to countries who have their own nuclear weapons and space programmes. In one instance who keep people in poverty because they are the wrong caste(internal racism). 40% of aid goes to the EU who have not had their books signed of for 18 years.
Perhaps he should have used the political science term: “Banana Republic” which would reflect his views…Dictatorships that rely on one product for its GDP. Whilst the population live in abject poverty and rely on international aid.
Meanwhile Mr Bloom has the full support of the UKIP Commonwealth spokesperson Mujeeb Rehman a British Muslim who says he has never encountered “any iota of racism” from Godfrey and speaks of their close relationship with “Kashmiri, ahmedi,urdu Kashmiri communities of Karachi and Somaliland and others”
Meanwhile :Um Bongo still available in the shops with its references to the Congo and has been for thirty years….the media strangely quiet on the issue.
It is the UK’s gift to give international aid in the manner, and to the locations, it so chooses. It is not for the recipients (who have no direct control over this) to be castigated.
When I looked at the pattern of UK international aid back in the mid 1980s it very clearly followed Commonwealth countries and former colonies. Maybe these countries should apologise and be held to account for that as well?
If Mr Bloom wished to make a serious technical point about the inadequate practices of how the vast Westminster machine apportion and control the UK international aid budget then he should have done exactly that.
He made a 40 minute speech 5 weeks ago outlining just that. The press wait 5 weeks as does “wings over Scotland” to report on his speech and take exactly 1 second of it for that is how long it takes to say “Bongo Bongo Land”. Language not aimed at any individual but regimes over the world who do not have an audit trail….as I said “Banana Republics”. He has apologised but hardly a hanging offence….where were the press when a 2011Tory candidate get sentenced to jail for gun running for drug dealers…..or when Labour accept defections from sitting BNP councillors or select people who were Nazis…..not the same scrutiny.
Mr Bloom needs to refrain from criticising the recipients who may, or may not, have an audit trail as it is completely irrelevant. The UK government gifts the money. It is 100% within the control of the UK government.
Obviously people can have valid and different opinions where aid should go and on what. All I am saying is do not slag off the recipients who have no control over how funds are apportioned.
As you say, it is a pity the press did not enter into early and more serious debate.
He is not criticizing the recipients of aid as in the ordinary citizens of countries. He was drawing the line at the miss-appropriation of funding of aid. which ends up in the coffers of dictators and regimes on arms etc etc.
He also asked why we still send aid to countries who have specifically told us to stop…i.e India.
1 billion a month on aid to countries who have not had their books signed off for 18 years. when we are cutting back home in the UK.
Point in case- Ford Transit plant in Southampton closes with the loss of 1500 jobs…whilst the British tax payer bank rolled the money for the European Investment Banks £80 million funding to Turkey to invest in the Ford Transit plant there.