Ukip in a flap over donor’s comments on women in trousers

A Ukip MEP has distanced the party from comments made by one its donors claiming that it was “hostile behaviour” for women to wear trousers rather than skirts.

In a book called Women in Trousers: A Rear View, Demetri Marchessini, who has given £10,000 to Ukip this year, argued that “women’s legs are essentially sexy”.

MEP Roger Helmer said he did not think many people in Ukip would agree with Mr Marchessini’s views.

In the book Mr Marchessini wrote: “Because women cannot see themselves from the rear, the vast majority of women are unaware that trousers are very unflattering for them.

“Trousers are made for men’s bodies, which are mostly straight up and down. Women’s bodies on the other hand consists of curves. Women have big bottoms - they are meant to have big bottoms.”

Women also have “big hips - for child bearing” and “countless women who would look lovely in dresses or skirts are embarrassingly unattractive in trousers”.

Mr Marchessini argued that women “know that men don’t like trousers, yet they deliberately wear them” which was “hostile behaviour — they are dressing in a way that is opposite to what men would like”.

Asked on Channel 4 News if he agreed with Mr Marchessini’s attitute, Mr Helmer said: “Not at all, no and I don’t think many people in Ukip would agree with that.

“The truth is, and I’ve been around politics for a long time, you can pick on any party ... and you can find individuals who say things that the mainstream of that party would not be prepared to accept. This is an example.”

PA