No further action against 'ting tong' UKIP MEP

No further action will be taken against a UKIP MEP who described a Thai woman as a "ting tong", the party has said.

South East MEP Janice Atkinson was recorded commenting about mobile food seller Fa Munday, by BBC South East Today in Ramsgate, Kent, on 15 August.

At the time, party leader Nigel Farage said Ms Atkinson would be "spoken to" and "reprimanded". UKIP said Mr Farage had had "strong words" with her.

But Mrs Munday's husband Vince said Ms Atkinson had not apologised in person.

When asked if Ms Atkinson had been reprimanded, a spokeswoman for UKIP said: "Nigel has had strong words with Janice."

The spokeswoman said Mr Farage had accepted that Ms Atkinson very quickly responded and apologised for the words she used.

No further action would be taken against the MEP, she added.

'Racist position'

But Mr Munday said Ms Atkinson had apologised via a press statement, and Mr Farage had apologised in person "when he had done nothing wrong".

UKIP members Vincent and Fa Munday said they would not leave the party

He said: "As far as I'm concerned, no apology has been given. There has been a press statement. I don't consider that an apology.

"She should apologise to my wife face to face. She was big enough to make the comments pretty much face to face, so there's got to be an apology.

"If that was me that would have been the first thing I would have done."

Mr Munday, who at one stage called for Ms Atkinson to resign, said: "I don't want her to resign, but realistically I do think she should 'woman up' and apologise.

"What she said was very wrong."

Mr Munday, who has previously said UKIP is not racist, also said: "She [Ms Atkinson] put herself in a position where she has to be considered to be a racist."

He and his wife are both UKIP members and intend to remain in the party.

Ms Atkinson was interviewed by the BBC and had agreed to be filmed while she met local people and UKIP members in Ramsgate.

She wore a microphone and was aware she was being recorded.