Godfrey Bloom, British MEP, Calls Female Activists 'Sluts,' His Party Doesn't Get The 'Joke'

If you're addressing a roomful of female activists, you probably don't want to call them sluts.

But that's exactly what Godfrey Bloom, a British member of the European Parliament, did during a "women in politics" event this week. After two women at the conference said that they had never cleaned behind their fridges, Bloom responded, "This place is full of sluts."

The remark elicited some laughter from the audience, and when asked about it later Bloom confirmed he made the comment in jest. Perhaps he was referencing how "slut" has not always been defined as a promiscuous person; the term once meant a "slovenly, untidy woman or girl."

However, it seems Bloom's party isn't amused by his "joke." The United Kingdom Independence Party announced Friday that Bloom would be suspended, pending a disciplinary hearing.

Speaking to BBC News, UKIP leader Nigel Farage labeled Bloom's comment "wholly and highly inappropriate," saying, "there comes a point where people cross too far over a line."

Bloom has certainly toed that line before. Earlier this year, the party told the politician to stop using the phrase "bongo bongo land" to describe countries that receive aid from the U.K. Though Bloom initially defended his comments, he later expressed his regrets for using the term, which he admitted could be perceived as pejorative.

Original Article
Source: huffingtonpost.com
Author:  Sara Gates