Editing Godfrey Bloom

{{short description|British politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2012}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = 
| name             = Godfrey Bloom
| image            = Godfrey Bloom (cropped 3x4).jpg
| honorific-suffix = [[Territorial Decoration|TD]]
| caption          = Bloom in 2009
|office            = [[UKIP]] [[HM Treasury|Economics Spokesman]]
|leader            = [[Nigel Farage]]
| term_start       = 22 May 2013
|term_end          = 22 February 2014
|predecessor       = Position established
|successor         = [[Steven Woolfe]]
| constituency_MP2 = [[Yorkshire and the Humber (European Parliament constituency)|Yorkshire and the Humber]]
| parliament2      = European
| majority2        = 
| predecessor2     = [[Robert Goodwill]]
| successor2       = [[Amjad Bashir]]
| term_start2      = 1 May 2004
| term_end2        = 2 July 2014
| birth_date       = {{Birth date and age|1949|11|22|df=y}}
| birth_place      = [[Lewisham]], [[London]], England
| death_date       = 
| death_place      = 
| nationality      = British
| spouse           = {{marriage|Katryna Skowronek|1986}}
| party            = [[UK Independence Party]] (1998–2014)<br /> Independent (2013–14)<ref name="BBC2409">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24222992 "Godfrey Bloom quits as UKIP MEP after 'sluts' joke row"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220111632/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24222992 |date=20 December 2018 }}, BBC News, 24 September 2013</ref><ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/09/24/godfrey-bloom-ukip_n_3980401.html "Godfrey Bloom To Quit As Ukip MEP After 'Sluts' Row"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119045955/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/09/24/godfrey-bloom-ukip_n_3980401.html |date=19 November 2018 }}, ''The Huffington Post'', 24 September 2013</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |user=GoddersBloom |author-link=Godfrey Bloom |number=1051054839520735232 |title=The Conservative Party have relented. My membership card arrived today. I suspect the personal intervention of David Davis. Membership number 528905543 Haltemprice & Howden. More I suspect on this soon. |date=13 October 2018 |access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref>
| relations        = 
| children         = 
| residence        = [[Wressle]], [[East Riding of Yorkshire]]
| alma_mater       = 
| occupation       = 
| profession       = [[Financial economics|Financial Economist]]
| religion         = 
| signature        = 
| footnotes        = 
| module           = {{Infobox military person|embed=yes
| allegiance       = {{flagu|United Kingdom}}
| branch           = {{army|UK}}
| servicenumber    = 501912
| serviceyears     = 1977–1996
| rank             = [[Major (United Kingdom)|Major]]
| unit             = [[Royal Corps of Transport]]
}}
}}
'''Godfrey William Bloom''' [[Territorial Decoration|TD]] (born 22 November 1949) is an English author, economist and former politician who served as a [[Member of the European Parliament]] (MEP) for [[Yorkshire and the Humber (European Parliament constituency)|Yorkshire and the Humber]] from 2004 to 2014.  He was elected for the [[UK Independence Party]] in the [[European elections]] of [[2004 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|2004]] and [[2009 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|2009]], representing UKIP until September 2013, when UKIP withdrew the party whip from him. He then sat as an [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] until the end of his term of office in May 2014. Bloom resigned his UKIP party membership on 13 October 2014.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.itv.com/news/calendar/update/2014-10-13/godfrey-bloom-leaves-ukip/ | title = Godfrey Bloom Leaves UKIP | work = ITV News | date = 13 October 2014 | access-date = 13 October 2014 | archive-date = 14 October 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141014044756/http://www.itv.com/news/calendar/update/2014-10-13/godfrey-bloom-leaves-ukip/ | url-status = live }}</ref>

During his tenure, he received attention for making remarks considered objectionable by his party leader, for his opinions concerning climate change and for making other controversial comments. On 20 September 2013, UKIP withdrew the [[party whip]] from Bloom after he hit journalist [[Michael Crick]] in the street with a conference brochure,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ukip/10324527/Selfish-Godfrey-Blooms-sluts-slur-has-killed-Ukip-conference-says-Nigel-Farage.html |title=Selfish Godfrey Bloom's 'sluts' slur has killed Ukip conference, says Nigel Farage |work=The Telegraph |date=20 September 2013 |access-date=28 February 2014 |location=London |archive-date=8 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408054404/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ukip/10324527/Selfish-Godfrey-Blooms-sluts-slur-has-killed-Ukip-conference-says-Nigel-Farage.html |url-status=live }}</ref> threatened a second reporter, and at the party's conference jokingly referred to his female audience as [[slut]]s.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.sky.com/story/1144453/godfrey-bloom-ukip-mep-calls-women-sluts |title= Godfrey Bloom: UKIP MEP Calls Women 'Sluts' |work= Sky News |date= 20 September 2013 |access-date= 28 February 2014 |archive-date= 27 October 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131027163351/http://news.sky.com/story/1144453/godfrey-bloom-ukip-mep-calls-women-sluts |url-status= live }}</ref> Bloom resigned his party whip from UKIP on 24 September 2013 and thereafter sat as an Independent MEP until the end of his term in office on 2 July 2014.<ref name="BBC2409"/> [[Nigel Farage]], the UKIP party leader, said "the trouble with Godfrey is that, he is not a racist, he's not an extremist or any of those things and he's not even anti-women, but he has a sort-of-rather old-fashioned [[Army Reserve (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]] sense of humour which does not translate very well in modern Britain".<ref>{{Cite news |date=20 September 2013 |url=https://www.channel4.com/news/ukips-godfrey-bloom-biffs-michael-crick |title=Thwack! MEP's blunders derail Ukip party conference |website=Channel 4 News |access-date=23 September 2019 |archive-date=23 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923154520/https://www.channel4.com/news/ukips-godfrey-bloom-biffs-michael-crick |url-status=live }}</ref>

Bloom was removed as Honorary President of the Ludwig von Mises Centre in December 2017, the organisation citing his comments on [[Twitter]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Announcement|url=https://misesuk.org/2017/12/18/announcement/|website=Mises UK|access-date=18 December 2017|archive-date=18 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171218205321/https://misesuk.org/2017/12/18/announcement/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Early life==
Bloom was born on 22 November 1949, the son of Alan Bloom and his wife, Phyllis.<ref name = MEP>{{cite web | url = http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28513/GODFREY_BLOOM.html | title = Godfrey Bloom | work = European Parliament | access-date = 21 January 2010 | archive-date = 13 April 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120413033911/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28513/Godfrey_BLOOM.html | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name=":0">[http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U44644 "Bloom, Godfrey"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922230607/https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-44644;jsessionid=BA67EDE8DEA5B852F1BF4237B2CB9E88 |date=22 September 2022 }}, ''Who's Who 2014'', A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2014; online edition, Oxford University Press, November 2014 (subscription required) Retrieved 25 April 2015</ref> His father served as a [[fighter pilot]] during the [[Second World War]].<ref name="sarah" /> Bloom was educated at [[St. Olave's Grammar School]].<ref name=":0" />

==Military==
Bloom was commissioned into the [[Royal Corps of Transport]] ([[Territorial Army (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]]) in 1977.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=47300 |date=15 August 1977 |page=10586 |supp=y }}</ref> attending the [[Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst]] for the two week course for territorials. In 1992 he was promoted to the rank of [[Major (United Kingdom)|major]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=53271 |date=8 April 1993 |page=6487 |supp=y }}</ref> He left the TA in 1996.

==Professional career==
Bloom worked as a [[financial economist]].<ref name = MEP/><ref name = Firstseat>{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_yorkshire/3803065.stm | title = UKIP wins first seat in region | work = BBC News | date = 14 June 2004 | access-date = 22 January 2010 | archive-date = 28 November 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101128061151/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_yorkshire/3803065.stm | url-status = live }}</ref> In 1996 he was part of [[Francis Maude]]'s regulatory consultancy panel from which he later resigned. In his last position, he worked as the director of the investment company TBO in which he is a major shareholder.<ref name="times">{{cite news | url = https://www.thetimes.com/article/ukip-mep-godfrey-bloom-pays-assistants-who-also-work-for-his-investment-firm-6jrxnmndqlw | title = UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom pays assistants who also work for his investment firm | newspaper = [[The Times]] | date = 30 May 2009 | access-date = 26 March 2013 | archive-date = 10 August 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130810061704/http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/politics/article2028406.ece | url-status = live }}{{subscription required}}</ref>

==Political career==
Bloom contested the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative-held]] seat of [[Haltemprice and Howden]] at the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]], coming fifth.

In 2004, Bloom's election to the [[Yorkshire and the Humber (European Parliament constituency)|Yorkshire and the Humber seat]] was UKIP's first seat in the region in the [[2004 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|European elections]].<ref name = Firstseat/> In [[2009 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|2009]], he was re-elected. In the parliament Bloom was a member of the [[Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs]] and the [[Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality]].<ref name = MEP/>

On 20 September 2013, during its party conference, UKIP withdrew the whip from Bloom. At a party conference meeting he had jokingly referred to his female audience as {{linktext|sluts}}.<ref name="Sky">[http://news.sky.com/story/1144453/godfrey-bloom-ukip-mep-calls-women-sluts "Godfrey Bloom: UKIP MEP Calls Women 'Sluts'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054100/http://news.sky.com/story/1144453/godfrey-bloom-ukip-mep-calls-women-sluts |date=21 September 2013 }}, Sky.com, 20 September 2013</ref> Subsequently,<ref>Rowena Mason [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/sep/20/nigel-farage-godfrey-bloom-sluts-ukip "Ukip's Godfrey Bloom has whip removed after 'sluts' remark"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160831140001/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/sep/20/nigel-farage-godfrey-bloom-sluts-ukip |date=31 August 2016 }}, theguardian.com, 20 September 2013</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2013/09/20/nigel-farage-schoolboy-fascist |title= Ukip conference in chaos after Godfrey Bloom hits journalist |work= politics.co.uk |date= 20 September 2013 |access-date= 1 March 2014 |archive-date= 3 March 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223641/http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2013/09/20/nigel-farage-schoolboy-fascist |url-status= live }}</ref> he got into a confrontation with journalist [[Michael Crick]] in the streets, hitting him over the head with the conference brochure,<ref>[http://www.channel4.com/news/ukips-godfrey-bloom-biffs-michael-crick "Thwack! MEP's blunders derail Ukip party conference"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922010746/http://www.channel4.com/news/ukips-godfrey-bloom-biffs-michael-crick |date=22 September 2013 }}, Channel 4 News, 20 September 2013</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053455/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/10323515/Ukip-MEP-Godfrey-Bloom-whacks-Michael-Crick-over-the-head-with-party-brochure.html "Ukip MEP Godfrey Bloom whacks Michael Crick over the head with party brochure"], telegraph.co.uk, 20 September 2013</ref> and allegedly threatened ITV reporter Paul Brand, by saying, "You treat me badly, you'll get a lot worse than that (Crick's slap) ... that is a threat to any journalist."<ref name="Sky"/>

On 24 September 2013, he resigned his UKIP [[party whip]], while retaining his party membership. His statement said: "I have felt for some time now that the 'New UKIP' is not really right for me any more".<ref name="BBC2409"/>

Bloom and Crick met again in May 2014. The two shook hands and had lunch together and Bloom thanked Crick, describing the incident as a "defining moment" that made him realise that he "wasn’t really suited to party politics".<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqie9mctQuA.html | title = Friends reunited: Godfrey Bloom & Michael Crick share a beer | work = Channel 4 News | date = 14 May 2014 | access-date = 24 May 2014 | archive-date = 22 September 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220922231929/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqie9mctQuA.html | url-status = live }}</ref>

In December 2013, as a result of his various controversies, Bloom was awarded the [[Plain English Campaign]]'s [[Foot in Mouth Award]].<ref>{{cite web|title=2013 Foot in Mouth award winner|url=http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/campaigning/awards/2013-awards/foot-in-mouth-award.html|work=Plain English Campaign|access-date=6 December 2013|archive-date=25 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225054540/http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/campaigning/awards/2013-awards/foot-in-mouth-award.html|url-status=live}}</ref> A spokesman said that Bloom was "an overwhelming choice" who "could easily have won this award on at least two other occasions... [he's] a wince-inducing gaffe machine and we could fill a page or two with his ill-advised quotes from 2013 alone".<ref>{{cite news|title=Foot in mouth gong for Godfrey Bloom, Yorkshire and Humber MEP|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25215093|work=BBC News|date=4 December 2013 |access-date=6 December 2013|archive-date=6 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210806104642/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25215093|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Views and incidents==
===Banking and financial crisis===
Bloom was ejected from the [[Mansion House, London|Mansion House]] in 2009 for heckling [[Lord Turner]] for giving staff bonuses after the massive regulatory failure of 2008/09. According to ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' he was the first man to be ejected since [[John Wilkes]] in the late-18th century. In a letter to UKIP, Turner wrote that "Mr Bloom will not be receiving any further invitations to Mansion House events nor will be welcome at the Brussels Annual reception [...] As to future Mansion House events we will be seeking a different MEP from UKIP as a potential guest."<ref name=BloomBust>{{cite news|title=No more Bloom and Bust for Mansion House|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/citydiary/6257636/No-more-Bloom-and-bust-for-Mansion-House.html|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|work=The Telegraph|access-date=26 March 2013|date=3 October 2009|author=Jonathan Russell|archive-date=7 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130907124101/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/citydiary/6257636/No-more-Bloom-and-bust-for-Mansion-House.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Bloom signed the petition in disgust at the knighthood for the failures of [[Hector Sants]].<ref name=BloomBust/>

He is a member of the [[Ludwig von Mises Institute]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vonmisesinstitute-europe.org/ |title=Ludwig von Mises Institute Europe |publisher=Ludwig von Mises Institute |access-date=7 August 2013 |archive-date=8 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708230705/https://www.vonmisesinstitute-europe.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Bloom was a co-author of Wolfson Prize Economics Submission with Pat Barron and Philipp Bagus.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.godfreybloommep.co.uk/downloads/the_wolfson_prize-170112.pdf |title=The Wolfson prize |publisher=Godfrey Bloom |access-date=7 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130103084859/http://www.godfreybloommep.co.uk/downloads/the_wolfson_prize-170112.pdf |archive-date=3 January 2013 }}</ref> He warned that credit agencies would be "castrated" by too much regulation of the EU.<ref>{{cite web|title=MEP: Strict regulation will castrate rating agencies|url=http://www.ftadviser.com/2013/01/16/regulation/regulators/mep-strict-regulation-will-castrate-ratings-agencies-2KaOE6WpwYiFCFLxDGkdIN/article.html|publisher=FTAdvisor|access-date=26 March 2013|date=16 January 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130070608/http://www.ftadviser.com/2013/01/16/regulation/regulators/mep-strict-regulation-will-castrate-ratings-agencies-2KaOE6WpwYiFCFLxDGkdIN/article.html|archive-date=30 January 2013}}</ref> Bloom claims that most MEPs have "little or no business experience" and do not understand the consequences of their actions.<ref name = Cranks/>

===Women's rights===
A few weeks after being appointed to the European Parliament's [[Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality]] on 20 July 2004, Bloom told an interviewer that, "no self-respecting small businessman with a brain in the right place would ever employ a lady of child-bearing age."<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article459538.ece?print=yes&randnum=1151003209000 | title = UKIP man champions a woman's right to clean fridges | first = Jenny | last = Booth | date = 20 July 2004 | publisher = Times Newspapers|work= Times Online }}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Around the same time, he said that "I just don't think [women] clean behind the fridge enough" and that "I am here to represent Yorkshire women who always have dinner on the table when you get home."<ref name = Cranks>{{cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=My7bPb1XnVIC&pg=PA142 | page = 149 | title = Cranks and gadflies: the story of UKIP | first = Mark | last = Daniel | publisher = Timewell Press | year = 2005 | isbn = 978-1-85725-209-5 | via = Google Books | access-date = 17 March 2016 | archive-date = 9 October 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131009030605/http://books.google.com/books?id=My7bPb1XnVIC&pg=PA142 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3912205.stm | title = UKIP MEP in row over working women | date = 21 July 2004 | work = BBC News | access-date = 21 July 2004 | archive-date = 1 June 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130601143423/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3912205.stm | url-status = live }}</ref> Bloom told [[BBC Radio 4]]'s ''[[Today (BBC Radio 4)|Today]]'' programme that his comments were "said for fun" to illustrate a more serious point, that equal-rights legislation was, he claimed, putting women out of work.<ref name = Cranks/>

Bloom stated that he had visited brothels in Hong Kong. He said he never consummated the visits, and also claimed "terrified young women beaten into prostitution often from Eastern Europe [...] is only a very small aspect of the flesh trade", and concluded that "in short, most girls do it because they want to."<ref>{{cite web|title=Brothel visit: Euro MP under fire after saying most prostitutes not exploited |url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/around-yorkshire/local-stories/brothel_visit_euro_mp_under_fire_after_saying_most_prostitutes_not_exploited_1_2609582|publisher=JPI Media|work=Yorkshire Post |access-date = 26 March 2013|date=22 October 2004}}</ref>

After inviting students from the [[University of Cambridge]] Women's Rugby Club to Brussels in 2004, he was accused of sexual assault, making "sexist and misogynistic remarks" and using offensive language during a dinner party. One student handed a formal letter of protest to the President of the European Parliament, heavily criticising Bloom's behaviour. Bloom, who sponsored the club with £3,000 a year, denied sexual harassment.<ref>{{cite news|title=UKIP Man in Brussels faces harassment claim after trying to quash his sexist reputation|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ukip-man-in-brussels-faces-harassment-claim-after-trying-to-quash-his-sexist-reputation-6159897.html|publisher=ESI Media|work=The Independent|access-date=26 March 2013|date=3 October 2009|archive-date=10 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510070509/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ukip-man-in-brussels-faces-harassment-claim-after-trying-to-quash-his-sexist-reputation-6159897.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Harassment case MEP brings debate to Bowtell|url=http://archive.varsity.co.uk/605.pdf|publisher=Varsity (Cambridge University student newspaper)|access-date=26 March 2013|date=22 October 2004|archive-date=11 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130811132004/http://archive.varsity.co.uk/605.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

In a piece for [[politics.co.uk]] in August 2013, Bloom attempted to set the record straight about his earlier comments on gender equality.<ref name=sarah/> He argued against quotas for women in boardrooms, claimed that [[feminism]] was a "passing fashion" created by "shrill, bored, middle-class women of a certain physical genre" and that any men who supported feminism were "the slightly effete politically correct chaps who get sand kicked in their face on the beach." He said that women were better at "[finding] the mustard in the pantry" than driving a car.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ukip MEP Godfrey Bloom disparages women drivers, feminists... and mild-mannered men|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ukip-mep-godfrey-bloom-disparages-women-drivers-feminists-and-mildmannered-men-8777141.html|publisher=ESI Media|work=The Independent|access-date=4 September 2013|date=20 August 2013|archive-date=24 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130824140049/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ukip-mep-godfrey-bloom-disparages-women-drivers-feminists-and-mildmannered-men-8777141.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Comment: Let's face it – men and women are different|url=http://politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2013/08/20/comment-let-s-face-it-men-and-women-are-fundamentally-differ|work=Politics.co.uk |access-date=4 September 2013|date=20 August 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140524045752/http://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2013/08/20/comment-let-s-face-it-men-and-women-are-fundamentally-differ | archive-date=24 May 2014}}</ref>

===Climate change===
Bloom rejects anthropogenic [[global warming]]. He said in 2009: "As far as I am concerned man-made global warming is nothing more than a hypothesis that hasn't got any basis in fact. Every day more scientists are modifying their initial views".<ref>Len Tingle [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/regions/yorkshire_and_lincolnshire/8298649.stm Climate change: man-made or myth?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922230621/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/regions/yorkshire_and_lincolnshire/8298649.stm |date=22 September 2022 }} BBC News, 1 October 2009</ref>

===''Rainbow Warrior'' bombing===
At the [[2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference]] in Copenhagen, Bloom was filmed in front of the [[Greenpeace]] flagship, ''[[Rainbow Warrior II]]'', saying, "Here we have one of the most truly fascist boats since 1945, well done the French for sinking one of these things."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10624771 |title=Rainbow Warrior bombing praised |date=8 February 2010 |work=New Zealand Herald |access-date=8 February 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024041907/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10624771 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="BBC100210">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_yorkshire/8509540.stm |title=MEP Godfrey Bloom hails Greenpeace ship attack |date=10 February 2010 |work=BBC News |access-date=10 February 2010 |archive-date=11 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211045614/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_yorkshire/8509540.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> He was referring to the 1985 [[Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior|bombing of the ship's predecessor]] by French government agents in which Dutch photographer [[Fernando Pereira]] was killed. After criticism, the video was removed from Bloom's [[YouTube]] channel and he said he had forgotten about the death.<ref name="Vidal">John Vidal [https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2010/feb/05/bloom-rainbow-warrior-greenpeace "Godfrey Bloom 'forgot' Rainbow Warrior death during Copenhagen rant"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225431/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2010/feb/05/bloom-rainbow-warrior-greenpeace |date=3 March 2016 }}, TheGuardian.com, 5 February 2010</ref>

===Other incidents===
In December 2008, Bloom was carried out by an intern after making a speech in the European Parliament while drunk,<ref>{{cite news |last=Hannan |first=Daniel |title=A drunk Eurosceptic makes more sense than a sober federalist |url= http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danielhannan/5940683/A_drunk_Eurosceptic_makes_more_sense_than_a_sober_federalist/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090720040843/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danielhannan/5940683/A_drunk_Eurosceptic_makes_more_sense_than_a_sober_federalist/ |url-status= dead |archive-date= 20 July 2009 |location=London |work=The Telegraph |access-date=8 February 2012 |date=10 December 2008}}</ref> the second occasion on which he was accused of being drunk in the chamber.<ref name=sarah>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10263580/I-used-to-beat-up-lads-like-the-PM-says-Bongo-Bongo-Bloom.html|title=I used to beat up lads like the PM, says 'Bongo Bongo' Bloom|first=Sarah|last=Rainey|work=The Telegraph|date=24 August 2013|access-date=24 August 2013|archive-date=23 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130823212743/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10263580/I-used-to-beat-up-lads-like-the-PM-says-Bongo-Bongo-Bloom.html|url-status=live}}</ref> During the speech, Bloom said that the MEPs from Poland, the Czech Republic and Latvia did not understand economic relations. In February 2012, Bloom interrupted a debate with the question whether the Cambridge University Women's Rugby team should wear their logo on the front or back of their shirts. Later he admitted consuming alcohol and "very heavy" prescription painkillers after breaking his collarbone in a riding accident.<ref>{{cite web |title=UKIP MEP makes Euro Parliament speech on booze and drugs cocktail |url=http://politicalscrapbook.net/2012/02/ukip-mep-makes-euro-parliament-speech-on-booze-and-drugs-cocktail/ |work=Political Scrapbook |publisher=CloudLeft Media |access-date=8 February 2012 |date=6 February 2012 |archive-date=4 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004125759/http://politicalscrapbook.net/2012/02/ukip-mep-makes-euro-parliament-speech-on-booze-and-drugs-cocktail/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 24 November 2010, Bloom was ejected from the European Parliament after directing a Nazi slogan at German MEP [[Martin Schulz]] who was speaking in a debate on the [[economic crisis in Ireland]]. Bloom interrupted Schulz and shouted "[[Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer]]" at him.<ref name=sarah/><ref name=beebuk>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11828319 |title=UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom ejected over Nazi jibe |work=BBC News |date=24 November 2010 |access-date=7 August 2013 |archive-date=12 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130812010743/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11828319 |url-status=live }}</ref> He then proceeded to call the latter "an undemocratic fascist", a remark for which he was removed from the chamber. Labour MEP group leader [[Glenis Willmott]] described his behavior as "an insult to all those who have fought against fascism" whilst Liberal Democrat group leader [[Fiona Hall (politician)|Fiona Hall]] described him as a "national embarrassment".<ref name=beebuk/>

At the height of the [[United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal|2009 parliamentary expenses scandal]], Bloom complained about the lack of manners of the political class.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} On his website, he pointed out that, unlike many others, he would not employ family members in his parliamentary staff.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}}  Bloom later conceded that three members of his staff were also employed part-time at TBO, the company in which he is a major shareholder, and one of these is his wife's niece.<ref name="times"/> Bloom failed to declare his interest in TBO to European Parliament officials and in 2008 Bloom's company TBO was fined £28,000 by the [[Financial Services Authority]] for 'posing an "unacceptable risk" to customers'.<ref>{{cite web|title=British MEP'S secret firm was fined £28,000 by financial regulators|work=Political Scrapbook|publisher=CloudLeft Media|url=http://politicalscrapbook.net/2012/10/godfrey-bloom-company-tbo-investments-slammed-in-fsa-ruling/|access-date=25 October 2013|archive-date=29 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029195903/http://politicalscrapbook.net/2012/10/godfrey-bloom-company-tbo-investments-slammed-in-fsa-ruling/|url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2014, TBO was fined and ordered to pay more than £2 million in damages to a retired couple, having ignored their request for cautious financial planning and "gambled" almost all their clients' money on high risk investments with an almost complete loss.<ref name="Independent_August_18_2014c">{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/former-ukip-bad-boy-godfrey-bloom-horrified-as-his-firm-is-fined-for-gambling-couples-2m-9672315.html |title=Former Ukip bad boy Godfrey Bloom 'horrified' as his firm is fined for gambling couple's £2m |work=The Independent |location=London |date=15 August 2014 |first=Paul |last=Gallagher |access-date=18 August 2014 |archive-date=18 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140818213418/http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/former-ukip-bad-boy-godfrey-bloom-horrified-as-his-firm-is-fined-for-gambling-couples-2m-9672315.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In July 2013, Bloom made a speech about Britain's foreign aid in which he referred to countries as "[[Bongo Bongo Land]]".<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10256179/Feminists-mocked-by-Bongo-bongo-Ukip-man-Godfrey-Bloom.html |title=Feminists mocked by 'Bongo bongo' Ukip man Godfrey Bloom |last=Goldhill |first=Olivia |date=21 August 2013 |access-date=23 September 2019 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |archive-date=23 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923155958/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10256179/Feminists-mocked-by-Bongo-bongo-Ukip-man-Godfrey-Bloom.html |url-status=live }}</ref> A video was passed to ''The Guardian'' newspaper.<ref name="Mason">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/aug/06/ukip-godfrey-bloom-bongo-bongo-land |title=Ukip MEP Godfrey Bloom criticises aid to 'bongo bongo land' |last=Mason |first=Rowena |date=6 August 2013 |work=The Guardian |location=London |access-date=6 August 2013 |archive-date=8 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808085321/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/aug/06/ukip-godfrey-bloom-bongo-bongo-land |url-status=live }}</ref> A spokesman for UKIP was reported as saying that Bloom's remarks were being "discussed right at the very highest level of the party".<ref name="Mason" /> After refusing to apologise,<ref name=sarah/> he later said he regretted the comments<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23608106 |title=UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom 'has regret' over 'Bongo Bongo' phrase |date=7 August 2013 |work=BBC News |access-date=7 August 2013 |archive-date=8 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808202659/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23608106 |url-status=live }}</ref> but clarified it by saying that whilst he intended it to be derogatory, he regretted that it had caused offence and he didn't mean it to be racist.<ref name=sarah/> Party leader [[Nigel Farage]] later asked him not to use the phrase again.<ref>Peter Dominiczak [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ukip/10228834/Godfrey-Bloom-says-hes-promised-Nigel-Farage-not-to-say-bongo-bongo-land.html "Godfrey Bloom says he's promised Nigel Farage not to say 'bongo bongo land'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614144424/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ukip/10228834/Godfrey-Bloom-says-hes-promised-Nigel-Farage-not-to-say-bongo-bongo-land.html |date=14 June 2018 }}, ''The Telegraph'', 7 August 2013.</ref>

In an interview in August 2013, Bloom described Prime Minister [[David Cameron]] as "pigeon-chested; the sort of chap I used to beat up."<ref name=sarah/>

During a [[LBC Radio]] interview in November 2013, he called for the unemployed and public sector workers to lose the right to vote.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/519461/20131104/ukip-godfrey-bloom-voting-unemployed-public-sector.htm |title=Ex-Ukip MEP Godfrey Bloom: Ban Jobless and Public Sector Workers from Voting |work=International Business Times UK |date=4 November 2013 |access-date=13 December 2014 |archive-date=26 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131126142359/http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/519461/20131104/ukip-godfrey-bloom-voting-unemployed-public-sector.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

In January 2014, broadcaster [[Michael Crick]] stated that Bloom, supporting the motion "Post-war Britain has seen too much immigration" in a debate at the [[Oxford Union]], asked a disabled student who was speaking against the motion if he was [[Richard III]].<ref name="Crick240114">Crick, Michael. [http://blogs.channel4.com/michael-crick-on-politics/godfrey-bloom-worse/3751 "Godfrey Bloom does it again, only worse"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140130075440/http://blogs.channel4.com/michael-crick-on-politics/godfrey-bloom-worse/3751 |date=30 January 2014 }}, ''Channel 4 News'', 24 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.</ref> According to Crick, Bloom told him that the student had taken his remark "in good spirit" with both sharing drinks during an after-debate reception, suggesting Crick confirm this with the student. Crick followed up the suggestion whereby the student accepted Bloom's version of events, stating that, although the comment was not "very nice," he and Bloom got on well, and that Bloom was "a very interesting man to talk to."<ref name="Crick240114"/> Fellow supporter of the motion, journalist and author [[Douglas Murray (author)|Douglas Murray]], described Bloom's comment as "gruesome"<ref>Douglas Murray [https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/my-night-with-godfrey-bloom/ "My night with Godfrey Bloom"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922230621/https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/my-night-with-godfrey-bloom |date=22 September 2022 }}, ''The Spectator'' (blog), 25 January 2014</ref> and "the cruellest thing."<ref name="Crick240114"/>

In December 2017, Bloom wrote a tweet identifying [[Goldman Sachs]] as an "international Jewish bank" (in response to a tweet about Brexit by the bank's CEO [[Lloyd Blankfein]]).<ref>{{cite web|title="International Jewish bank recommends second vote & we should vote Remain"|url=https://twitter.com/goddersbloom/status/942664507939319809|via=Twitter|access-date=18 December 2017|work=@GoddersBloom|archive-date=18 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171218084851/https://twitter.com/goddersbloom/status/942664507939319809|url-status=live}}</ref> The tweet was alleged to be [[anti-Semitic]] by two other tweeters.<ref>Daniel Sugarman, [https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/former-ukip-mep-godfrey-bloom-makes-jewish-bank-comment-1.450528 Former UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom makes "Jewish bank" comment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612184753/https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/former-ukip-mep-godfrey-bloom-makes-jewish-bank-comment-1.450528 |date=12 June 2018 }}, ''The Jewish Chronicle'', 18 December 2017</ref>

On 2 December 2019, days after the [[2019 London Bridge stabbing]], Bloom tweeted in response to pleas from the father of one victim, Jack Merritt, that politicians not use his son's death for political gains:<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/dec/02/jack-merritt-london-bridge-attack-dave-merritt|title='Jack would be livid his death has been used to further an agenda of hate'|work=The Guardian|location=London|date=2 December 2019|access-date=2 December 2019|archive-date=2 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202170028/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/dec/02/jack-merritt-london-bridge-attack-dave-merritt|url-status=live}}</ref>

<blockquote>"As I understand it your son died because he believed early release for jihadists was justified because they could be rehabilitated<br />
Society is demanding these releases stop immediately<br />
A very pragmatic view, nothing vile about it.<br />
Grieve silently is my advice" <ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/goddersbloom/status/1201529186885754885|title=General Godfrey Bloom QC|work=Twitter|access-date=2 December 2019|archive-date=2 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202175208/https://twitter.com/goddersbloom/status/1201529186885754885|url-status=live}}</ref></blockquote>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{cc}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{Official website|http://godfreybloom.uk/}}
* [https://mises.web.ox.ac.uk/event/godfrey-bloom-an-introduction-to-austrian-school-economics Godfrey Bloom: An Introduction to Austrian School Economics]
* [http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28513/GODFREY_BLOOM.html Profile on European Parliament website]
* [https://mises.org/profile/godfrey-bloom Profile on Mises Institute website]

{{UKIP}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bloom, Godfrey}}
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