Ukip's Godfrey Bloom mocks disability at Oxford Union, asks student David Browne: 'Are you Richard III?'

Godfrey Bloom (Getty Images)

A video of the MEP and Ukip member Godfrey Bloom interrupting a disabled student’s speech at Oxford Union to jeeringly ask if he was Richard III has been released.

Mr Bloom supported the motion that “Post-war Britain has seen too much immigration” during a debate at the university on Thursday.

As student David Browne began a speech against the motion, Mr Bloom got to his feet and mocked the student, saying: “ Point of order, are you Richard III or not?”

READ MORE: We know Godfrey Bloom's an idiot, but what about those laughing at his Richard III joke?

Mr Browne responds by quoting Thatcher to enthusiastic applause from the audience.

He told the debating hall: “I always cheer up immensely if someone attacks one personally, as it means they have run out of arguments.”

Political commentator Michael Crick was at the debate and has previously been the sharp end of Mr Bloom’s temper, having been rapped on the head with a Ukip brochure while at the party’s conference.

Mr Bloom told Crick that he had a drink with Mr Browne afterwards and they had a laugh together. This was confirmed by the second year student, who is studying law at Merton College. However he told university newspaper the Oxford Student that although they got on well he "didn't think it was a very nice thing to say" and he "wasn't happy with the remark."

Douglas Murray, writing for the Spectator said of the insult “ why anybody, let alone an elected politician, would taunt him for his disability is beyond me. It was a gruesome moment – ghastly, disgraceful and deeply telling of Mr Bloom.”

Godfrey Bloom has hit headlines in the past after insulting vast swathes of the UK's population. Most famously he referred to places that receive foreign aid as "bongo bongo land" and a group of women at the Ukip conference as "sluts." After this comment he had his whip removed. In November he said that public sector workers and the unemployed should be stripped of the vote and has also previously remarked that the only men who like feminists are "chaps who get sand kicked in their face on the beach."

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