Ukip candidate Carl Benjamin defends use of N-word by saying: 'I find racist jokes funny'

Campaign group Hope not Hate calls for Youtuber to be sacked immediately

A Ukip MEP candidate has defended his use of the N-word and other offensive language in a Youtube video by saying: “I find racist jokes funny”.

Carl Benjamin, who uploads footage to his channel under the name Sargon of Akkad, called a disabled person a “retard” and an Asian woman a “chink” while commenting on an anti-discrimination film.

The internet troll also repeatedly used the N-word and other racist terms in the 2015 footage, which was deleted for violating Youtube’s policy on hate speech.

Mr Benjamin, the Ukip candidate for the South West constituency, told Sky News he was “not really interested in discussing any of these comments” and suggested those who found his use of racist language offensive should “go and have a cry”.

Labour MP David Lammy responded by tweeting that it was “deeply sad” that people who use the n-word were running to be elected officials in Britain in 2019.

“This is an ideology of hate. It must be confronted and defeated,” he added.

During the interview with Sky News, Mr Benjamin boasted about having a huge audience on Youtube, adding: “If people want to go see them they can go watch them on my channel and see the context of them for themselves. I’m not really interested in discussing any of those.”

Asked about people who found his comments offensive, he replied: “Well I’ll tell you what. They can go and have a cry and when they have collected themselves and they are ready to talk like an adult about the issues and not bring up things that they think might be offensive and spread them around the country to people who might be offended by them.

"Then we can have a sensible discussion about the issues.”

He also told Sky News: “Personally, I find racist jokes funny.”

It follows his dismissal of concerns about a tweet in which he said he “wouldn’t even rape” Labour MP Jess Phillips.

Ukip leader Gerard Batten described Mr Benjamin’s comments about Ms Phillips as “ill considered” but claimed “the vast mass of people out there couldn’t care less”. He has refused to comment on the video.

Nick Lowles, chief executive of campaign group Hope not Hate, called for Mr Benjamin to be sacked immediately.

“These appalling slurs show the mask slipping from Carl Benjamin, a man who likes to hide behind his YouTube persona and write off everything as a joke or as part of a free speech mantle,” he said.

“Even a far-right party like Ukip and its Muslim-obsessed leader Gerard Batten must realise they’ve made a horrendous error in selecting Benjamin as a candidate.

“They must now immediately sack him, or forever be seen to be siding with bigotry, homophobia, misogyny and racism. The voters of the South West deserve better than this.”