Footballer Joey Barton has apologised after describing UKIP as the best of “four really ugly girls” on BBC Question Time.
The QPR midfielder was using the metaphor to comment about UKIP being the “best of a bad bunch” of political parties available to voters. He also called their European election victory a “protest vote” and said that with only a 34% turnout, the 27% UKIP had won was not a ringing endorsement from the country.
Newly elected UKIP MEP Luoise Bours took offence from his comments, saying:
“He basically fulfils the mission that footballer’s brains are in their feet”
An audience member also later confronted Barton about his comments, saying:
“I was with you in some of the things you said (but) I think the analogy you made of four ugly girls, that’s going to be on Twitter tonight and tomorrow, you’ll be buried for it.”
Barton apologised, saying:
“I do apologise – I couldn’t think of a better one, this is the first time I have ever done it.
“As Louise rightly pointed out my brains are in my feet, which is an equally offensive statement. Maybe I was a little bit nervous, I apologise.”
