Jeremy Clarkson, friend of the motorist and avowed enemy of political correctness, was criticised this morning for labelling a car “a bit gay” on television.

Clarkson was unimpressed by the Daihatsu Copen, last year. He asked a member of the studio audience on the BBC’s Top Gear programme whether he would consider buying one. The man replied, "No, it's a bit gay” and Clarkson added, "A bit gay, yes, very ginger beer.”

Ofcom, the media watchdog, ruled this morning that there was “no justification” for the comment.

The watchdog turned to the Oxford English Dictionary and agreed that “gay” can be used to mean “foolish, stupid and socially inappropriate, or disapproved of and lame”. However, it ruled that in conjunction with “ginger beer”, Cockney rhyming slang for queer, Clarkson intended to criticise the car by describing it as homosexual.

In Top Gear Magazine the review of the Daihatsu described it as a "cutie with a folding metal roof, aimed at those with a collection of sunglasses and co-ordinating handbags".

Ofcom said: “In this edition of Top Gear, the presenter’s use of a Cockney rhyming phrase made clear he intended to give a particular meaning to use of the word ‘gay’. This, in Ofcom’s opinion, meant that the use of the word became capable of giving offence. In the context, there was no justification for using the word in this way.”

Stonewall, the gay rights group, welcomed the decision. “We’re glad to see that Ofcom has censured Jeremy Clarkson for the use of the word gay, in what was clearly meant in a derogatory way. Clarkson should remember in future that he is a presenter on publicly-funded TV before making such comments and therefore should uphold certain standards of behaviour," said Vicky Powell, a spokeswoman.

The watchdog will take no further action as the BBC has already upheld complaints made directly to the corporation and warned the programme’s production team not to repeat the offence.

“There was no doubt that it was being used in the sense of 'homosexual' and was capable of giving offence,” said Fraser Steel, the BBC head of editorial complaints.

Clarkson is reported to have responded: "It wasn't a gay car - it was actually a bit lesbian."

The BBC had stood by Clarkson in February 2006 when Stonewall released a report accusing the Top Gear presenter of making derogatory or offensive references to homosexuality.

In December 2005 Clarkson was accused of offending Germans by mocking the Mini for its new owners, BMW, on Top Gear.

He suggested the car be redesigned to be quintessentially German. "Give it trafficators that go like that," he said, flapping his arm up and down in Nazi-style to mimic old-fashioned car indicators. He suggested the car should also be fitted with an "A satellite navigation system that only goes to Poland."