Pressure mounts on Henry Bolton to quit as Ukip leader in wake of racist texts scandal
3 min read
Pressure is mounting on Henry Bolton to quit as Ukip leader over racist messages by his former girlfriend - as a former deputy chair of the party predicted he will be gone by the weekend.
Mr Bolton, who has only been in charge of the party for three months, has insisted he is “not intending to resign at all” despite the row over his relationship with 25-year-old model Jo Marney.
Ukip defence spokesman Bill Etheridge announced today that he was standing down, and urging party members to lobby its ruling national executive committee for his removal.
Meanwhile Suzanne Evans, former Ukip deputy chair and one-time leadership candidate, said she expected Mr Bolton to lose his job by the end of the week.
She told the BBC’s Daily Politics: “Unfortunately I think he should (resign), and I say that with a very heavy heart because the last thing we need is another leadership election.
“We had great hopes for Henry Bolton, he promised us he would be the sensible, safe pair of hands after a very rough journey over the last couple of years with so many different leaders.
“But unfortunately he wasn’t, was he? So, I don’t think he has much choice.”
Ms Evans urged Mr Bolton to stand aside before Ukip's NEC considers a motion of no confidence against him on Sunday.
“I gather there is going to be vote of no confidence against him tabled. I suspect that vote will be won,” she said.
Ukip was plunged into turmoil when leaked texts showed Mr Bolton’s girlfriend calling black people “ugly” and saying Prince Harry's fiancée, Meghan Markle, had a "tiny brain" and would "taint" the Royal Family.
The glamour model, who later apologised, also claimed people from ethnic minorities are “pushing their way to the top slowly slowly”, before adding: “Next will be a Muslim PM. And a black king”.
When asked this morning if Mr Bolton knew she had those views he said he was “embarrassed” and “shocked”, but had “no idea”.
“I’ve already said. Those are appalling comments and I do not stand by or defend them… Categorically, I am not resigning,” he added.
On ending their relationship, he said: “As of last night the romantic side of our relationship has ended, we had that conversation last night when I returned from Yorkshire…
“At the moment it is obviously quite incompatible to continue the relationship. I’m going to be continuing to support her family because Jo is absolutely distraught by this.”
He later told BBC Breakfast that those trying to remove him were being “divisive” and “self-interested” and suggested they “start working towards the betterment of the party”.
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