UKIP's MEP candidate for the south-west defended his controversial tweet and called a Labour MP a "giant b****".

Sky News reporter Kate McCann challenged Carl Benjamin about tweeting to Jess Phillips MP that he "wouldn't even rape her" in 2016.

Ms McCann asked Mr Benjamin why he thought it was an acceptable thing to say to a female MP.

Mr Benjamin replied: "I don't think women are any different from men in the way you should treat them. Unlike the establishment, unlike our judges who literally say 'If you were a man, I would send you to jail', I think we should treat women the same as men.

"That means that if a woman is being a giant b**** and laughing at male suicide, I'm going to be a giant d*** back to her. Any questions?!"

Ms McCann countered: "So it's acceptable to joke about raping women?" He shouted the reply: "Yes, 100 per cent. Deal with it."

After the interview was posted online, Ms Phillips tweeted: "I've just watched the clip of Mr Benjamin telling lies on a stage about me, so I think he'll be hearing from the lawyers. Deary me."

The alleged incident Mr Benjamin referred to in his remarks involved the Labour MP laughing in response to Philip Davies MP's suggestion that "the opportunity for men to raise issues that are important to them is very limited." When Mr Davies went on to list some of the issues men struggle with, including suicide, the Labour MP was silent.