Top ten political gaffes of 2013: 1 - Godfrey

Top ten political gaffes of 2013: 1 – Godfrey ‘sluts’n’violence’ Bloom

Top ten political gaffes of 2013: 1 – Godfrey ‘sluts’n’violence’ Bloom

All the above gaffes might have been cringeworthy, but none of them were outrageous enough to result in the expulsion of the gaffer from his political party.

But then none of them derailed a party conference, did they?

Bloom's spectacular effort in calling women 'sluts' because they did not bother to do much cleaning while at a fringe event on women advancing in politics was explosive – in the self-destructive sort of way.

He chose the same day to get into an argument with Channel 4 journalist Michael Crick, who has been testing politicians' patience with his badgering for years.

Not until Friday September 20th did any of them start hitting him, however. "Racist!" Bloom yelped repeatedly at Crick, after it had been gently suggested to him that it was a bit odd that a Ukip brochure on 'changing the face of politics' didn't have any non-whites in it.

It was spectacularly funny – and the final demise of any shred of credibility that Bloom had left. A magnificent, career-ending moment from a man who, it seemed obvious, simply didn't care.