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| Ukip politicians must show self-restraint, says Coburn as he hints at leadership bid | Ukip politicians must show self-restraint, says Coburn as he hints at leadership bid |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ukip must remain a radical party to ensure Theresa May “walks the plank on Brexit” according to MEP David Coburn, who said he was considering standing for the leadership after Steven Woolfe’s decision to resign from the party. | Ukip must remain a radical party to ensure Theresa May “walks the plank on Brexit” according to MEP David Coburn, who said he was considering standing for the leadership after Steven Woolfe’s decision to resign from the party. |
| Coburn, who was a supporter of Woolfe’s bid to replace Nigel Farage before the MEP withdrew after an alleged punch-up in the European parliament, said it was clear that politicians in the party needed to show more self-restraint. | Coburn, who was a supporter of Woolfe’s bid to replace Nigel Farage before the MEP withdrew after an alleged punch-up in the European parliament, said it was clear that politicians in the party needed to show more self-restraint. |
| Woolfe quit on Monday night, saying that the party had become ungovernable without Farage in charge and it was in “a death spiral” after the EU referendum. | Woolfe quit on Monday night, saying that the party had become ungovernable without Farage in charge and it was in “a death spiral” after the EU referendum. |
| “We’re a libertarian party and when you take the lid off that, there’s a lot of excited people who jump up and down a bit,” Coburn told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “We just need to get a grip of ourselves and sort ourselves out and I hope to be trying to do it myself.” | “We’re a libertarian party and when you take the lid off that, there’s a lot of excited people who jump up and down a bit,” Coburn told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “We just need to get a grip of ourselves and sort ourselves out and I hope to be trying to do it myself.” |
| Before Woolfe’s decision to run for the Ukip leadership, after previously missing out in an earlier race to replace Farage because his nomination papers were submitted late, the MEP said he had been considering defecting to the Conservatives, an admission which sparked fury among his colleagues. | Before Woolfe’s decision to run for the Ukip leadership, after previously missing out in an earlier race to replace Farage because his nomination papers were submitted late, the MEP said he had been considering defecting to the Conservatives, an admission which sparked fury among his colleagues. |
| The day after he announced his bid, Woolfe was confronted by other Ukip MEPs in the parliament in Strasbourg and claims he was punched by fellow MEP Mike Hookem. Hookem denies this. Woolfe said he fell backwards and hit his head. He spent several days in hospital. | The day after he announced his bid, Woolfe was confronted by other Ukip MEPs in the parliament in Strasbourg and claims he was punched by fellow MEP Mike Hookem. Hookem denies this. Woolfe said he fell backwards and hit his head. He spent several days in hospital. |
| Coburn said he would consider running for the leadership if he was asked to by colleagues but said members did not want Ukip to be either a single issue party or a carbon copy of the Conservatives. | Coburn said he would consider running for the leadership if he was asked to by colleagues but said members did not want Ukip to be either a single issue party or a carbon copy of the Conservatives. |
| “Ukip is a radical party, we want changes, we also want to put a cutlass in the small of the prime minister’s back to make sure she walks the plank on Brexit,” he said. | “Ukip is a radical party, we want changes, we also want to put a cutlass in the small of the prime minister’s back to make sure she walks the plank on Brexit,” he said. |
| “Ukip is not just a single issue party, we are very much a purple revolution, we want something different. That’s why I joined, not just [because of] Europe but [for] a different way of running things.” | “Ukip is not just a single issue party, we are very much a purple revolution, we want something different. That’s why I joined, not just [because of] Europe but [for] a different way of running things.” |
| Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader, said Coburn’s remarks showed “the low calibre of Ukip’s elected representatives”. | |
| Farron said of his “walk the plank” comments: “What’s more worrying to me is the language. We have too much aggressive language and threats in our politics. This leads on from when [former Labour leadership contender] Owen Smith said he would ‘smash her [May] back on her heels’. These are more than words, it’s a tacit acceptance that these kind of phrases are acceptable and frankly they are not. It needs to stop. | |
| “We need to get back to politics being a battle of ideas and not aggressive threats against women.” | |
| Woolfe, who had the backing of the major Ukip donor Arron Banks, had been the favourite to take over the party after the resignation of Diane James – who succeeded Farage. She lasted just 18 days in the job before quitting, saying she did not have the full support of colleagues. | Woolfe, who had the backing of the major Ukip donor Arron Banks, had been the favourite to take over the party after the resignation of Diane James – who succeeded Farage. She lasted just 18 days in the job before quitting, saying she did not have the full support of colleagues. |
| Woolfe said he would sit as an independent MEP. “The way I was treated by members of my own party during the summer’s leadership campaign and the events that have led up to [my resignation] have all contributed to me coming to this conclusion. The party is riddled with infighting, proxy wars between rival camps and is run by an NEC [national executive committee] that is not fit for purpose,” he said. | Woolfe said he would sit as an independent MEP. “The way I was treated by members of my own party during the summer’s leadership campaign and the events that have led up to [my resignation] have all contributed to me coming to this conclusion. The party is riddled with infighting, proxy wars between rival camps and is run by an NEC [national executive committee] that is not fit for purpose,” he said. |
| Coburn played down the significance of Woolfe’s admission he had been speaking to the Tories about defecting. “The Conservatives talk to a lot of people about a lot of things and it’s hardly surprising they were trying to poach him, he’s a very good speaker,” he said. | |
| Raheem Kassam, one of the declared candidates for the leadership and a former aide to Farage, said he thought Woolfe had been “effectively pushed out”. | Raheem Kassam, one of the declared candidates for the leadership and a former aide to Farage, said he thought Woolfe had been “effectively pushed out”. |
| He said: “This, however, does not excuse Mr Woolfe’s conduct in the European parliament, and while he is a close personal friend, I should have liked to see some form of internal disciplinary process for the party to swiftly move forward, together.” | He said: “This, however, does not excuse Mr Woolfe’s conduct in the European parliament, and while he is a close personal friend, I should have liked to see some form of internal disciplinary process for the party to swiftly move forward, together.” |
| Kassam urged Woolfe to consider, when he was ready, “coming back to Ukip and taking a leading role in my campaign to make Ukip great again”. | Kassam urged Woolfe to consider, when he was ready, “coming back to Ukip and taking a leading role in my campaign to make Ukip great again”. |