Joey Barton on Question Time sparks ridicule after 'ugly girls' Ukip jibe
Footballer Joey Barton last night apologised after comparing Ukip to an "ugly girl" during a Question Time appearance.
A panel including Barton, former Mirror editor Piers Morgan and Ukip MEP Louise Bours ensured Twitter was ablaze with comments and jokes during the BBC One show.
But the QPR player sparked fury when he said Ukip's gains at local and European elections were because people had been left with the option of "choosing between ugly girls".
He said: "If I'm somewhere and there was four really ugly girls, I'm thinking she's not the worst - that's all UKIP are."
After being challenged by an audience member who accused him of sexism, Barton said later: "I apologise. Maybe I was a little nervous… My brains are in my feet."
Some Twitter users expressed outrage at Barton's remarks:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">Top audience lady, picking Barton up on the four ugly girls metaphor. And fair apology from him. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bbcqt&src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bbcqt&src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#bbcqt</a>— Gaby Hinsliff (@gabyhinsliff) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/gabyhinsliff/statuses/472141196979343361" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/gabyhinsliff/statuses/472141196979343361" data-vars-event-id="c23">May 29, 2014</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">this may be the second time in under a week that Mr Barton has left me speechless….<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23qprwidow&src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/search?q=%23qprwidow&src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#qprwidow</a> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bbcqt&src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bbcqt&src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#bbcqt</a>— stellacreasy (@stellacreasy) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/stellacreasy/statuses/472133220696616960" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/stellacreasy/statuses/472133220696616960" data-vars-event-id="c23">May 29, 2014</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">And there we are. Ugly girl analogy by renaissance man Barton. This is car crash. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bbcqt&src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bbcqt&src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#bbcqt</a>— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/BeardedGenius/statuses/472133198647152640" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/BeardedGenius/statuses/472133198647152640" data-vars-event-id="c23">May 29, 2014</a>
But others took a more lighthearted approach to his appearance on the current affairs panel show:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">Barton opinion poll latest: UKIP 30% Hot Lab 27% Not ugly Con 17% Stonking LibDem 7% Not a minger <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bbcqt&src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bbcqt&src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#bbcqt</a>— David Schneider (@davidschneider) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/davidschneider/statuses/472133898185736193" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/davidschneider/statuses/472133898185736193" data-vars-event-id="c23">May 29, 2014</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">Joey Barton's pre-Question Time briefing and preparation was done by Gazza. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BBCQT&src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BBCQT&src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#BBCQT</a>— Iain Martin (@iainmartin1) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/iainmartin1/statuses/472135623722414080" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/iainmartin1/statuses/472135623722414080" data-vars-event-id="c23">May 29, 2014</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">God I hope Joey Barton quotes Nietzsche tonight. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bbcqt&src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bbcqt&src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#bbcqt</a>— Chris Bennion (@PigLimbedViking) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/PigLimbedViking/statuses/472131691134582784" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/PigLimbedViking/statuses/472131691134582784" data-vars-event-id="c23">May 29, 2014</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">Joey Barton arguing with Piers Morgan in an empty airport. Yes, the UK's premier political debating show has come to this <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BBCQT&src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BBCQT&src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#BBCQT</a>— Dan Levene (@BluesChronicle) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/BluesChronicle/statuses/472131324619534336" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/BluesChronicle/statuses/472131324619534336" data-vars-event-id="c23">May 29, 2014</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">If there's a petition to have Joey Barton on Question Time every week, I'm signing it.— R-Mattz (@RealMattLucas) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/RealMattLucas/statuses/472133825385234432" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/RealMattLucas/statuses/472133825385234432" data-vars-event-id="c23">May 29, 2014</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">Joey Barton! Who'd have thought?!!! <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Bbcqt&src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Bbcqt&src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#Bbcqt</a>— Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@krishgm) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/krishgm/statuses/472133284080934912" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/krishgm/statuses/472133284080934912" data-vars-event-id="c23">May 29, 2014</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">Ukip v Joey Barton playing out like a fight in the pub car park. Look and learn, Westminster <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bbcqt&src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bbcqt&src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#bbcqt</a>— Tim Stanley (@timothy_stanley) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/timothy_stanley/statuses/472133219870322689" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-238646-https://twitter.com/timothy_stanley/statuses/472133219870322689" data-vars-event-id="c23">May 29, 2014</a>
