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| Ukip's Steven Woolfe offers 'hand of friendship' to MEP after clash | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ukip MEP Steven Woolfe has “reached out the hand of friendship” to the fellow MEP involved in the altercation that led to him being hospitalised for 48 hours, a colleague has said. | Ukip MEP Steven Woolfe has “reached out the hand of friendship” to the fellow MEP involved in the altercation that led to him being hospitalised for 48 hours, a colleague has said. |
| Ukip MEP Nathan Gill told journalists that Woolfe would remain in hospital until Sunday “as a precaution” but said his health was not in danger. | Ukip MEP Nathan Gill told journalists that Woolfe would remain in hospital until Sunday “as a precaution” but said his health was not in danger. |
| “He is sick of croissants and looking forward to a full English breakfast,” Gill told journalists outside the hospital in Strasbourg, after visiting Woolfe. | “He is sick of croissants and looking forward to a full English breakfast,” Gill told journalists outside the hospital in Strasbourg, after visiting Woolfe. |
| Ukip’s interim leader, Nigel Farage, announced he was launching an investigation to discover the truth behind the incident in the European parliament on Thursday, although the party’s chairman, Paul Oakden, said there were no independent witnesses to the confrontation between Woolfe and Mike Hookem. | Ukip’s interim leader, Nigel Farage, announced he was launching an investigation to discover the truth behind the incident in the European parliament on Thursday, although the party’s chairman, Paul Oakden, said there were no independent witnesses to the confrontation between Woolfe and Mike Hookem. |
| “The party will be holding a full and thorough investigation into what happened,” Gill said. Asked to explain what had happened, he declined to comment and said he had not been in the room. | “The party will be holding a full and thorough investigation into what happened,” Gill said. Asked to explain what had happened, he declined to comment and said he had not been in the room. |
| He said it was too early to say whether Wolfe would still be a candidate to lead the party, which has been thrown into chaos since the shock resignation of Diane James after only 18 days in the job. | He said it was too early to say whether Wolfe would still be a candidate to lead the party, which has been thrown into chaos since the shock resignation of Diane James after only 18 days in the job. |
| But he insisted the affair would not damage Ukip, because “we are a little bit Teflon coated”. | But he insisted the affair would not damage Ukip, because “we are a little bit Teflon coated”. |
| With Woolfe recovering, Oakden said he hoped the two men would agree to move on from the “regrettable” incident and get on with the election of a new party leader. | With Woolfe recovering, Oakden said he hoped the two men would agree to move on from the “regrettable” incident and get on with the election of a new party leader. |
| The clash happened during a heated meeting of Ukip MEPs. Two hours later, Woolfe collapsed and was rushed to hospital, where he had a brain scan. | The clash happened during a heated meeting of Ukip MEPs. Two hours later, Woolfe collapsed and was rushed to hospital, where he had a brain scan. |
| Woolfe told the Daily Mail that, after the pair had left the meeting room to continue the argument, Hookem “came at me and landed a blow” and he then banged into a door frame. | Woolfe told the Daily Mail that, after the pair had left the meeting room to continue the argument, Hookem “came at me and landed a blow” and he then banged into a door frame. |
| Hookem has said he did not punch Woolfe and that he did not see him hit his head. | Hookem has said he did not punch Woolfe and that he did not see him hit his head. |
| Oakden, who is leading the investigation into what happened, said the conflicting accounts could make it difficult to establish the truth. “I have spoken to people who were there and everything I am being told at the moment would suggest that there were no witnesses. That is going to present a problem,” he told BBC Breakfast. | Oakden, who is leading the investigation into what happened, said the conflicting accounts could make it difficult to establish the truth. “I have spoken to people who were there and everything I am being told at the moment would suggest that there were no witnesses. That is going to present a problem,” he told BBC Breakfast. |
| “I hope that we don’t end up in a situation where we just have two members here disagreeing on the facts but with nobody else able to corroborate either. | “I hope that we don’t end up in a situation where we just have two members here disagreeing on the facts but with nobody else able to corroborate either. |
| “What I am hopeful of is that we have two members who accept that something happened yesterday that was unfortunate, regrettable, and they, as we all do, will want to move on from it and focus on electing our new leader.” | “What I am hopeful of is that we have two members who accept that something happened yesterday that was unfortunate, regrettable, and they, as we all do, will want to move on from it and focus on electing our new leader.” |
| In a statement, Nigel Farage, who is currently the party’s interim leader, confirmed he had asked Oakden and the party secretary to conduct an investigation “from which the truth will be discovered”. | In a statement, Nigel Farage, who is currently the party’s interim leader, confirmed he had asked Oakden and the party secretary to conduct an investigation “from which the truth will be discovered”. |
| “All other claims being made in the media by representatives of Ukip who were not even there at the time are extremely unhelpful,” he said. | “All other claims being made in the media by representatives of Ukip who were not even there at the time are extremely unhelpful,” he said. |
| Despite the damaging publicity for the party, Oakden said it would recover from the incident. | Despite the damaging publicity for the party, Oakden said it would recover from the incident. |
| “We are a functioning party of tens of thousands of members. This is two members who had an incident, an altercation. We will deal with it in due course and with appropriate action once we know the facts,” he said. | “We are a functioning party of tens of thousands of members. This is two members who had an incident, an altercation. We will deal with it in due course and with appropriate action once we know the facts,” he said. |
| However, Lisa Duffy, runner-up in the last leadership contest, said the incident raised questions as to Woolfe’s suitability for the leadership after the surprise resignation on Wednesday of Diane James. | However, Lisa Duffy, runner-up in the last leadership contest, said the incident raised questions as to Woolfe’s suitability for the leadership after the surprise resignation on Wednesday of Diane James. |
| “I have been talking to a lot of members over the last few hours. They are embarrassed about what’s happening to the party,” Duffy told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. | “I have been talking to a lot of members over the last few hours. They are embarrassed about what’s happening to the party,” Duffy told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. |
| “Do we want a leader who will get himself involved in an altercation, or do we want a leader who is going to be rational and reflect and deal with things in an appropriate manner? Violence or any kind of offering to go outside is not the way to deal with problems.” | “Do we want a leader who will get himself involved in an altercation, or do we want a leader who is going to be rational and reflect and deal with things in an appropriate manner? Violence or any kind of offering to go outside is not the way to deal with problems.” |
| Duffy said she had spoken to Hookem, who denied throwing any punches. He told her the incident was sparked by a row over Woolfe’s admission that he had considered defecting to the Tories. | Duffy said she had spoken to Hookem, who denied throwing any punches. He told her the incident was sparked by a row over Woolfe’s admission that he had considered defecting to the Tories. |
| “Steven then said ‘let’s take this outside’ and started taking his jacket off. Mike then said there was a small scuffle but absolutely no punches were thrown,” Duffy said. | “Steven then said ‘let’s take this outside’ and started taking his jacket off. Mike then said there was a small scuffle but absolutely no punches were thrown,” Duffy said. |
| “He said then a door opened and Steven fell backwards, which is when he then hit his head. But he is categorically stating that he never threw a punch at Steven.” | “He said then a door opened and Steven fell backwards, which is when he then hit his head. But he is categorically stating that he never threw a punch at Steven.” |
| Woolfe has insisted he was not “bruising for a scrap” and that Hookem had read his suggestion they should deal with the matter outside of the meeting room “totally the wrong way”. | Woolfe has insisted he was not “bruising for a scrap” and that Hookem had read his suggestion they should deal with the matter outside of the meeting room “totally the wrong way”. |
| Ukip’s troubles in Strasbourg appeared to have little impact at the ballot box as the party won a council byelection with almost 50% of the vote on Thursday. | Ukip’s troubles in Strasbourg appeared to have little impact at the ballot box as the party won a council byelection with almost 50% of the vote on Thursday. |
| Tim Fleming won the Headland and Harbour ward on Hartlepool borough council after the resignation of a Labour councillor. Fleming polled 496 of the 1,009 votes on a 17.8% turnout, giving him 49% support to Labour’s 25% of the vote. Labour maintains its majority on the council, with 19 seats, and Ukip is second with six. | Tim Fleming won the Headland and Harbour ward on Hartlepool borough council after the resignation of a Labour councillor. Fleming polled 496 of the 1,009 votes on a 17.8% turnout, giving him 49% support to Labour’s 25% of the vote. Labour maintains its majority on the council, with 19 seats, and Ukip is second with six. |