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UKIP's Neil Hamilton denies bullying Nathan Gill UKIP's Neil Hamilton denies bullying 'big boy' Nathan Gill
(about 1 hour later)
UKIP's leader in the assembly Neil Hamilton has denied bullying UKIP Wales leader Nathan Gill, who is leaving the group to sit as an independent AM. Neil Hamilton has denied bullying "big boy" Nathan Gill during a row which has seen the UKIP Wales leader quit the Welsh Assembly group to sit as an independent AM.
A row followed Mr Gill's refusal to step down from the European Parliament. A rift emerged in May after Mr Hamilton was chosen by a majority of UKIP's new seven AMs to lead them in the Senedd.
Describing Mr Gill as a "big boy", Mr Hamilton said: "I am 67-years-old and Nathan is six foot six. How realistic is it for me to bully him?" Mr Gill then faced party calls to quit his European Parliament seat to focus on his assembly role but he refused.
But Sam Gould, who works for Mr Gill, said he was bullied by "one or two individuals" in a "toxic" Senedd group. He will continue both roles but work independently in the assembly.
Revealing he would no longer sit as a UKIP AM on Wednesday, Mr Gill said "infighting" had become a "distraction" from the group's work. On leaving, Mr Gill said infighting had become a distraction from the group's work, but he insisted he was not leaving the party and would remain a UKIP MEP.
But he insisted he was not leaving the party and would remain a UKIP MEP. But Sam Gould, who works for Mr Gill, said the Senedd group was "toxic".
While Mr Gill led the campaign which saw UKIP's first ever AMs elected in May, Mr Hamilton was chosen by a majority of the seven-strong group to lead them in the Senedd. Mr Gould, chairman of UKIP's Caerphilly branch, told BBC Radio Wales Mr Gill had been "bullied by those within the party hierarchy of the National Executive Committee and by one or two individuals within the assembly group".
Five of them have called on Mr Gill to honour his pledge to give up his seat in the European Parliament if elected to the assembly.
UKIP members in Wales are due to vote on whether Mr Gill should keep his two elected roles, or face expulsion from the party if he refuses to give one up.
On Thursday, Mr Gould, chairman of UKIP's Caerphilly branch, told BBC Radio Wales Mr Gill had been "bullied by those within the party hierarchy of the National Executive Committee and by one or two individuals within the assembly group".
He said Mr Gill could "still support and lead the members here in Wales" but would no longer be associated with "what has become quite a toxic, infighting group in the assembly" when he would like to focus on Brexit.He said Mr Gill could "still support and lead the members here in Wales" but would no longer be associated with "what has become quite a toxic, infighting group in the assembly" when he would like to focus on Brexit.
While Mr Gill led the campaign which saw UKIP's first AMs elected in May, five of them - including Mr Hamilton - called him to honour his pledge to give up his seat in the European Parliament if elected to the assembly.
Mr Hamilton dismissed suggestions he was bullying one of the tallest politicians in Cardiff Bay.Mr Hamilton dismissed suggestions he was bullying one of the tallest politicians in Cardiff Bay.
"He's a big boy," he told the Good Morning Wales programme. "He's a big boy," he told the Good Morning Wales programme. "I am 67-years-old and Nathan is six foot six. How realistic is it for me to bully him?
"We have a serious dispute which is, I think, of great importance to the integrity of UKIP that we have somebody who claims to be the leader of UKIP in Wales who was elected on a promise of being a full-time AM who has gone back on his word."We have a serious dispute which is, I think, of great importance to the integrity of UKIP that we have somebody who claims to be the leader of UKIP in Wales who was elected on a promise of being a full-time AM who has gone back on his word.
"All we're trying to do is to hold him him to the promise that he himself made to UKIP members who selected him as a lead candidate for the election, and to the people of his region in north Wales [and] the people of Wales in general that he would be a full-time AM if he was elected.""All we're trying to do is to hold him him to the promise that he himself made to UKIP members who selected him as a lead candidate for the election, and to the people of his region in north Wales [and] the people of Wales in general that he would be a full-time AM if he was elected."
Mr Hamilton said that Mr Gill was no longer UKIP Wales leader, a title bestowed on him by former party leader Nigel Farage, but UKIP has yet to clarify the position.Mr Hamilton said that Mr Gill was no longer UKIP Wales leader, a title bestowed on him by former party leader Nigel Farage, but UKIP has yet to clarify the position.
The decision by Mr Gill to go independent in the assembly also raises questions over whether a vote will take place by UKIP members in Wales who are due to decide if he should keep his two elected roles, or face expulsion from the party if he refuses to give one up.