Janice
Atkinson says she 'deeply regrets the words I used', after referring to woman
as 'a ting tong from somewhere'
The Guardian, Nicholas Watt, chief political correspondent, Monday 18 August 2014
A Ukip MEP has apologised after she described a Thai constituent and party supporter as "a ting tong from somewhere".
A Ukip rosette. Photograph: Craig Shepheard/Demotix/Corbis |
A Ukip MEP has apologised after she described a Thai constituent and party supporter as "a ting tong from somewhere".
Janice
Atkinson, an MEP for the south of England, apologised to Fa Munday for using
the words, which are used colloquially in Thai to describe a mentally ill
person. It was also the name of a Thai transsexual character played by Matt
Lucas in the BBC1 comedy Little Britain.
Atkinson
made the remarks after recording an interview with BBC South East Today on Friday. The MEP was still wearing a microphone after being filmed meeting local
people and Ukip members in Ramsgate, Kent.
Atkinson
was heard to say of the filming: "So that was good. We got Fa who's, I
don't know, she's a ting tong from somewhere."
Munday told
the BBC: "I'm from Thailand. I'm married to an Englishman and now I'm
British. No one has ever spoken about me like that before."
Her
husband, Vincent Munday, who is also a Ukip supporter, said: "I don't
think Ukip are a racist party, but that comment certainly wasn't the brightest
thing I've ever heard."
Atkinson
said: "I deeply regret the words I used and am incredibly sorry. It was
poor judgment and naivety on my part rather than words spoken with any malice.
I am devastated that I have caused hurt and apologise profusely to both Mr and
Mrs Munday."
A Ukip
spokesman said: "Janice has apologised for the words she used. Ukip in no
way condones the use of language that may reflect prejudice or cause offence
and we sincerely hope this matter can be resolved privately."
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