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| Ukip immigration spokesman launches bid for party leadership Ukip immigration spokesman launches bid for party leadership | |
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| Steven Woolfe, Ukip’s immigration spokesman, has launched a bid to succeed Nigel Farage, pitching himself as Britain’s first mixed-race leader of a major political party. The former barrister said he was best placed to take over from Farage, who resigned after the EU referendum saying he had done his bit and “wanted his life back”. | Steven Woolfe, Ukip’s immigration spokesman, has launched a bid to succeed Nigel Farage, pitching himself as Britain’s first mixed-race leader of a major political party. The former barrister said he was best placed to take over from Farage, who resigned after the EU referendum saying he had done his bit and “wanted his life back”. |
| At a launch event in Westminster he emphasised his multiracial heritage, which could help Ukip shake off persistent accusations that it has attracted supporters with racist views. | At a launch event in Westminster he emphasised his multiracial heritage, which could help Ukip shake off persistent accusations that it has attracted supporters with racist views. |
| “In Ukip, we will champion a new migration policy, controlled by elected Britons and based on merit, not on race, religion, colour or creed – a policy that is as fair to my black American grandfather as it is my Irish grandmother or Jewish grandmother,” Woolfe said. | “In Ukip, we will champion a new migration policy, controlled by elected Britons and based on merit, not on race, religion, colour or creed – a policy that is as fair to my black American grandfather as it is my Irish grandmother or Jewish grandmother,” Woolfe said. |
| The 48-year-old, who grew up on a Manchester council estate, said Ukip would focus on social mobility and argued there was a need for new grammar schools. “Ukip believes in freedom ... we are a party that believes we only succeed as a nation when we all succeed together – from the landscape gardener to landed gentry. | The 48-year-old, who grew up on a Manchester council estate, said Ukip would focus on social mobility and argued there was a need for new grammar schools. “Ukip believes in freedom ... we are a party that believes we only succeed as a nation when we all succeed together – from the landscape gardener to landed gentry. |
| “I am living proof of our own ‘British dream’ – the chance to succeed in life, no matter your postcode, your gender or the colour of your skin.” | “I am living proof of our own ‘British dream’ – the chance to succeed in life, no matter your postcode, your gender or the colour of your skin.” |
| Ukip MEP Jonathan Arnott and Woolfe are the only two candidates to have officially thrown their hats into the ring. The party restricted candidates to those who have been party members for at least five years, a move that has excluded the party’s only MP Douglas Carswell, former deputy chairman Suzanne Evans, former MP Mark Reckless, major donor Arron Banks and Farage’s former chief of staff Raheem Kassam from applying for the leadership. | Ukip MEP Jonathan Arnott and Woolfe are the only two candidates to have officially thrown their hats into the ring. The party restricted candidates to those who have been party members for at least five years, a move that has excluded the party’s only MP Douglas Carswell, former deputy chairman Suzanne Evans, former MP Mark Reckless, major donor Arron Banks and Farage’s former chief of staff Raheem Kassam from applying for the leadership. |
| Lisa Duffy, a key party organiser, is also considering a bid. Other potential candidates include former London mayoral candidate Peter Whittle, Nathan Gill, the party’s leader in Wales, David Coburn, its Scottish MEP, and former policy chief Tim Aker. All of them were at Woolfe’s launch on Thursday. | Lisa Duffy, a key party organiser, is also considering a bid. Other potential candidates include former London mayoral candidate Peter Whittle, Nathan Gill, the party’s leader in Wales, David Coburn, its Scottish MEP, and former policy chief Tim Aker. All of them were at Woolfe’s launch on Thursday. |
| Ukip has seen a surge in membership since the pro-Brexit MP Andrea Leadsom dropped out of the Tory leadership contest, leaving the remain supporter Theresa May to be crowned party leader and prime minister on Wednesday. However, May has sought to allay the concerns of those who voted to leave the EU by appointing key rightwingers Liam Fox and David Davis to influential roles dealing with Britian’s exit from the EU, which could halt any leakage of support to Ukip. | Ukip has seen a surge in membership since the pro-Brexit MP Andrea Leadsom dropped out of the Tory leadership contest, leaving the remain supporter Theresa May to be crowned party leader and prime minister on Wednesday. However, May has sought to allay the concerns of those who voted to leave the EU by appointing key rightwingers Liam Fox and David Davis to influential roles dealing with Britian’s exit from the EU, which could halt any leakage of support to Ukip. |
| In his speech, Woolfe attempted to paint May as “continuity Cameron” who would appeal to Conservative leave voters. But he also pledged to go “ruthlessly after Labour seats in the north and the Midlands”. | In his speech, Woolfe attempted to paint May as “continuity Cameron” who would appeal to Conservative leave voters. But he also pledged to go “ruthlessly after Labour seats in the north and the Midlands”. |
| “Now run by a group of metropolitan, out-of-touch, liberal elitists from their multimillion-pound Islington town houses, Labour has abandoned its working class base and is imploding before our very eyes,” Woolfe said. “Labour MPs – bar a few notable and honourable exceptions – voted in their droves to remain in an anti-democratic, corporatist European cartel. | “Now run by a group of metropolitan, out-of-touch, liberal elitists from their multimillion-pound Islington town houses, Labour has abandoned its working class base and is imploding before our very eyes,” Woolfe said. “Labour MPs – bar a few notable and honourable exceptions – voted in their droves to remain in an anti-democratic, corporatist European cartel. |
| “Labour supported an expensive members’ club in Brussels that sneers upon the ordinary man and woman and whose policies have abandoned a whole generation of young people in southern Europe, while overseeing a catastrophic flow of migration across the continent that has placed untold strain on public services, quality of life, and damaged the security and prosperity of our nation.” | “Labour supported an expensive members’ club in Brussels that sneers upon the ordinary man and woman and whose policies have abandoned a whole generation of young people in southern Europe, while overseeing a catastrophic flow of migration across the continent that has placed untold strain on public services, quality of life, and damaged the security and prosperity of our nation.” |