- Godfrey Bloom 'quit' UKIP yesterday following his suspension last week
- Caused uproar at party conference by calling female activists 'sluts'
- Was also embroiled in altercation with journalist Michael Crick
- MP said he would sit as an independent MEP until next year's European Parliament elections
- Provocatively added he was thinking of taking up shooting and 'Michael Crick might be the first cartridge'
By Jason Groves, Political Correspondent
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Out: UKIP politician Godfrey Bloom quit the party yesterday following his suspension last week
Controversial MEP Godfrey Bloom 'quit' UKIP yesterday with an extraordinary parting rant at the party and the journalist who helped bring about his downfall.
Mr Bloom was suspended by the UK Independence Party last week after causing uproar at the party's conference by describing female activists as 'sluts.'
On the same day he also got embroiled in an altercation with Channel Four News reporter Michael Crick.
Yesterday he said he would sit as an independent MEP until next year's European Parliament elections, although he will 'privately' remain a party member.
In a characteristically provocative intervention he told the BBC he was now thinking of taking up shooting, adding that 'Michael Crick might be the first cartridge, if it isn't my own party chairman'.
His departure means that five of the 13 Ukip MEPs elected in 2009 have now parted company with the organisation.
Mr Bloom is popular with party members but his headline-grabbing public statements have been the source of growing irritation to Ukip's leadership as it tries to portray a more professional public image.
Last month he provoked accusations of racism by complaining that foreign aid is sent to 'Bongo Bongo Land'.
He has also irritated women with a series of sexist remarks, including saying: 'I just don't think they clean behind the fridge enough' - a notorious comment that indirectly led to his downfall.
When female Ukip activists at a fringe meeting last Friday declared they were too busy to 'clean behind the fridge' Mr Bloom declared: 'The room is full of sluts!'
The remark was meant as a joke but provoked a media storm, particularly as Mr Bloom then hit Mr Crick over the head with a Ukip conference programme outside the fringe event in a row about racism.
Outburst: UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom said an event to promote women in politics was 'full of sluts' before falling foul of Channel 4 reporter Michael Crick (left)
Furious party leader Nigel Farage said Mr Bloom's antics had 'destroyed' coverage of the party's annual conference, and he was suspended from the party just two hours after giving his keynote address as Ukip's defence spokesman.
In the past Ukip has delighted in being politically incorrect. But the leadership is trying to adopt a more serious image in the run-up to next year's European Parliament elections which it believes it could win.
Upset: UKIP leader Nigel Farage, pictured, has said he is 'sorry' Bloom has left the party
Mr Bloom, an MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber since 2004, yesterday said the 'New Ukip' was 'not really right for me any more'.
He said he would continue to support Ukip, but refused to rule out standing as an independent next year, saying: 'Never say never'.
In a statement he said: 'I have felt for some time now that the New Ukip is not really right for me anymore perhaps than New Labour was right for the Dennis "The beast of Bolsover" Skinner.'
Mr Farage, who shares a flat with Mr Bloom in Brussels, said he did not want to see his old friend kicked out of the party altogether as he had not crossed the lines of extremism or racism.
He said: 'I'm very sorry it has come to this, he's been with us for 15 years, he's sat in the European Parliament since 2004, he absolutely 100 per cent believes in everything Ukip stands for and he's been a good, loyal MEP for us. It's a sorry state of affairs.
'All the things Godfrey has said have not been meant in malice but they have all been tremendous distractions from the main messages Ukip is trying to push out... nearly everything he has said has been meant as a joke.
'I don't want to see him hounded out of the party... we're very clear, racism, extremism, we wouldn't tolerate anything like that.'
Meanwhile, a Ukip councillor yesterday apologised after making repeated references to 'coloured people' during a television interview.
Red-faced: UKIP suffered further embarrassment when Councillor Viv Lewis, pictured, continually used the offensive term 'coloured' during a television interview
Viv Lewis, a councillor in Cornwall, insisted he was not racist as he had holidayed in the Caribbean.
During a TV interview he said: 'Racist I am not. I like coloured people. I have been to the West Indies. I have sampled their hospitality. I like coloured people.'
Apologising yesterday, he said: 'When I was growing up, with children from elsewhere, it was quite acceptable. You couldn't call them black then but apparently you can now.
'I want to apologise to anyone that was offended. It is not something you will hear me say again.' 'I want to apologise to anyone that was offended. It is not something you will hear me say again.'
The comments below have been moderated in advance.
It's all part of how the media rig the game.
So what is the correct "PC" way to address a person with dark skin, ? Without causing offence to the "PC Brigade" When I was growing up, to say "Our next door neighbour s really nice coloured guy was quite acceptable and deemed as polite, no malice intended and none taken. So why is it now not acceptable ?? What the hell is wrong with this country and the world at large???
what you class coloured now as a offensive word.how stupid and petty is that.what next take it out of the oxford dictionary.what words can you use to describe people.disgraceful.
A long time ago I got a mass of red arrows when I said the guy was GAGA.. I understand why now. Gaga is way too nice a description. He's on another planet.
He should be prosecuted for death threats...stupid old buffer.
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Trustnobody, Landofthefreeloaders, United Kingdom, 51 minutes ago
He's becoming a loose cannon?