UKIP'S parliamentary candidate for Barrow and Furness has been filmed making a joke about the illegal practice of female genital mutilation in a move branded 'sickening' by a rival.

Publican Alan Piper knew he was being filmed by a BBC Newsnight crew when he made the remark - before turning to the camera and confirming he had intended it to be joke.

The 64-year-old has now confirmed he believes FGM to be an 'horrendous' act, adding his joke had been made to illustrate that fact.

In the footage, which forms part of a short documentary on the political battle for Barrow and Furness at the June 8 general election, Mr Piper is seen at a Ukip-arranged meeting attended by controversial figure Anne Marie Waters, a former deputy leader of the far right, anti-muslim group Pegida and founder of the group Sharia Watch UK.

While speaking at the meeting, he says: "I have a daughter by the way. 14.

"If FGM stood for female gob manipulation I would probably be talked into it but it doesn't."

Mr Piper then adds: "There's a little joke in there by the way."

Afterwards, Mr Piper, landlord of The Sun Inn, in Coniston, told the Evening Mail: "I think FGM is absolutely barbaric - it's part of something very much bigger which is Islamic.

"What I was saying is that I don't agree with it. The joke was in relation to my 14-year-old daughter at a meeting that was arranged before the election was called."

But Mr Piper's actions have been slammed by Labour candidate John Woodcock who said the comments represented 'appalling judgment'.

Mr Woodcock said: "It is sickening that the official Ukip candidate seems to think that FGM is a fit topic for humour, and worrying that he would make a joke like that in front of a TV camera.

"People in Barrow and Furness deserve better than to be represented by someone with such awful views and appalling judgement."

Mr Piper stood as a Ukip candidate for Barrow's neighbouring Westmorland and Lonsdale seat at the 2015 general election.

FGM has been banned in the UK since 1985 and is considered to be child abuse.

Some 20,000 girls are said to be at risk of the highly dangerous practice, which does not form part of Muslim law, every year.

Some girls die of blood loss or infection directly after the procedure. It causes lifelong medical complications for those who survive.

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