Nigel Farage has defended a decidedly un-PC set by a comedian at the end of Ukip's spring conference, saying criticism could "kill all humour" in Britain.
Paul Eastwood, who has performed gigs for Leeds United Football Club, the Royal Marines and Royal Navy, BT and Sky, according to his website, made gags at the £35-a-head dinner, about Polish people, the Sochi Olympics and Asians in Britain.
Before the set, he joked with the crowd: "“I’m under strict instructions about what I can and can’t say tonight."
UKIP leader Nigel Farage has defended a comedian who made controversial jokes at conference
But that didn't seem to stop him.
His jokes included:
- "Poland did well. They took home bronze, silver, gold, lead, copper – anything they could get their hands on."
- "Team Somalia – they did well, didn’t they? They had to apologise. Didn’t realise sailing and shooting were two sports."
- Called the Islamic call to prayer a “traditional Midlands folk song”
- Seeing three Asian women at the event, he said he thought they "looked a little bit lost.”
Farage said in response to the criticism: "I think we're in huge danger here. This was a guy telling jokes about national stereotypes, not racial stereotypes. We are heading down a road here where we would kill all humour in this country if we tear things to pieces.
"Enough is enough, let people tell their jokes. If what they say is inappropriate they won't earn a living because they won't get booked again."