THE UK Independence Party Euro MP who said Britain should not send aid to "bongo bongo land" said he sincerely regretted "any genuine offence which might have been caused".
Godfrey Bloom was filmed questioning overseas aid spending, claiming recipients spent it on luxuries such as Ray-Ban sunglasses and "apartments in Paris".
The Ukip member for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire added yesterday that he understood he must not use the phrase "bongo bongo land" in the future.
He said: "At a public speech in early July, I used a term which I subsequently gather under certain circumstances could be interpreted as pejorative to individuals and possibly cause offence.
"Although quite clearly no such personal usage was intended, I understand from Ukip chairman Steve Crowther and leader Nigel Farage that I must not use the terminology in the future, nor will I."
Earlier, Mr Bloom said he did not believe "bongo bongo land" was racist, suggesting it only offended those in the "Westminster bubble" and that his constituents in Yorkshire did not take offence.
Mr Bloom insisted he was trying to open up debate on Britain's overseas aid spending, saying he was standing up for ordinary people and that he believed charity began at home.
He said: "If I've offended anybody in bongo bongo land, I shall write to the ambassador at the Court of St James's and apologise to him personally."
Ukip chairman Steve Crowther said the term "could seem disparaging" but denied it was racist.
Mr Bloom's reference was revealed in a video of a July speech in Wordsley, near Stourbridge.
In it, Mr Bloom says: "How we can possibly be giving a billion pounds a month, when we're in this sort of debt, to bongo bongo land is completely beyond me. To buy Ray-Ban sunglasses, apartments in Paris, Ferraris and all the rest of it that goes with most of the foreign aid. F18s for Pakistan."
Laura Pidcock, of Show Racism The Red Card, said "these crude stereotypes that see Britain as a civilised place and overseas as tribal" were "incredibly damaging".
Shadow international development secretary Rushanara Ali said: "These are an offensive and narrow-minded set of remarks."
Ukip leader Nigel Farage said he agreed with the thrust of Mr Bloom's remarks but said he was pleased he apologised for the language he used.
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