'Ukip Calypso': Red Cross reject Ukip donation from 'racist' Mike Read single
The charity will not be accepting funds due to the song's party political nature
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Your support makes all the difference.Ukip have criticised the Red Cross after the charity turned down a donation of funds raised by the political party's ill-fated "Calypso" song.
Former Radio 1 DJ Mike Read, who wrote and performed the controversial single in a fake Jamaican accent, offered to donate its profits to help Ebola victims.
But the Red Cross refused to accept the money because of the track's party political nature and its "offensive" lyrics about immigrants.
Ukip chairman Steven Crowther said that the party is "staggered" by the Red Cross' decision and accused the charity of "putting politics over saving people's lives".
"We will seek to donate all the money to another charity working to help tackle the tragic Ebola crisis in West Africa," he said in a statement.
"Ukip Calypso" was supported by leader Nigel Farage earlier this week and includes lines such as "Leaders committed a cardinal sin, open the borders let them all come in, illegal immigrants in every town, stand up and be counted Blair and Brown".
But when accusations of racism started flooding in, Read apologised "unreservedly" for "unintentionally causing offence" and asked his record label to withdraw the song from sale.
Ukip issued a statement following Read's decision, insisting that to them and "thousands of people" it was "just a bit of fun".
"Were it not for the synthetic outrage, the song would have generated a lot of money for charity," it read. "It's a pity those so concerned with political correctness have trodden all over this."
Five memorable lines from 'Ukip Calypso'
"Oh yes, when we take charge/ And the new prime minister is Farage/ We can trade with the world again/ When Nigel is at number 10"
"Farage he likes his fags and beer/ Now I like Nigel, he's a friend of mine/ But he appears more than Dimbleby on Question Time"
"Other parties please take note/ Ukip is not a protest vote/ So mark your cross and by word of mouth/ Tell them what to do in Thanet South"
"Labours and Tories shaking in their boots/ When Ukip kick them up the grass roots"
"Leaders committed a cardinal sin/ Open the borders let them all come in/ Illegal immigrants in every town/ Stand up and be counted Blair and Brown"
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