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Nuttall aide offers to quit over Hillsborough mistakes Nuttall aide offers to quit over Hillsborough mistakes
(about 2 hours later)
Paul Nuttall's press officer has offered to resign after saying she was to blame for "mistakes" in statements about the UKIP leader's involvement in the Hillsborough disaster.Paul Nuttall's press officer has offered to resign after saying she was to blame for "mistakes" in statements about the UKIP leader's involvement in the Hillsborough disaster.
Mr Nuttall earlier admitted claims on his website that he had lost close friends in the 1989 tragedy were false.Mr Nuttall earlier admitted claims on his website that he had lost close friends in the 1989 tragedy were false.
Lynda Roughley said she was "entirely responsible" for two press releases that were posted in 2011 and 2012.Lynda Roughley said she was "entirely responsible" for two press releases that were posted in 2011 and 2012.
Hillsborough campaigners have accused Mr Nuttall of "insensitivity".Hillsborough campaigners have accused Mr Nuttall of "insensitivity".
Ms Roughley's comments follow a day of confusion in which Mr Nuttall, who is contesting the Stoke Central by-election, was forced to issue a statement clarifying his position and emphasise once again that he had witnessed the tragedy in person with his family.Ms Roughley's comments follow a day of confusion in which Mr Nuttall, who is contesting the Stoke Central by-election, was forced to issue a statement clarifying his position and emphasise once again that he had witnessed the tragedy in person with his family.
While he said he knew people who had died in the disaster, the MEP for the North West of England said he was "appalled" the impression had been given by the statements that he was personally close to any of the 96 victims. While he said he knew people who had died in the disaster, the MEP for the North West of England said he was "appalled" the impression had been given by the statements that he was personally close to any of the 96 victims who died in a crush at Hillsborough football stadium.
'Mortified'
He said he did not check press releases posted by an aide on the subject suggesting as much and was "very sorry" for the oversight.He said he did not check press releases posted by an aide on the subject suggesting as much and was "very sorry" for the oversight.
In her statement, Ms Roughley said she was "mortified" at the distress caused.In her statement, Ms Roughley said she was "mortified" at the distress caused.
"I am entirely responsible for the website post regarding Paul's comments about having 'close friends' who died at Hillsborough," she said."I am entirely responsible for the website post regarding Paul's comments about having 'close friends' who died at Hillsborough," she said.
"Paul is a man of great integrity and would not say something he knew to be untrue. It's me who has made this mistake, and one I feel absolutely terrible about.""Paul is a man of great integrity and would not say something he knew to be untrue. It's me who has made this mistake, and one I feel absolutely terrible about."
The Sun reported that Ms Roughley's resignation had been turned down.The Sun reported that Ms Roughley's resignation had been turned down.
'Insult' Mr Nuttall was pressed about the posts on his website during an interview with Liverpool's Radio City station on Tuesday.
Mr Nuttall was pressed about the website posts during an interview with Liverpool's Radio City station on Tuesday. In the first from August 2011, the Bootle-born politician urged the government to release files on the Hillsborough tragedy.
He later responded to questions about whether he was, as he has long insisted, at the match itself by speaking in more detail of the effect the occasion had on him. 'Lost close friends'
He was quoted as saying: "Without them being made public we will never get to the bottom of that appalling tragedy when 96 Liverpool fans including close personal friends of mine lost their lives."
In a second release published six months later, he was quoted as saying: "I lost close friends at the match and understand as well as anyone how deep the scars of that tragedy go."
But during his radio interview, Mr Nuttall conceded the comments were inaccurate.
"I haven't lost anyone who was a close personal friend," he said. "It was people I knew through football and things like that."
The comments were "wrong" and had not "come from him", he added.
In the statement issued a few hours later, he said that while he took responsibility for everything published in his name, he was "genuinely taken aback when this claim was brought to my attention and am both appalled and very sorry that an impression was given that was not accurate".
The politician has long said he attended the match with his father and two uncles.
But a recent article in the Guardian quoted a number of people - including an unnamed former classmate and two Labour politicians - questioning why he had not spoken about his experience.
He later responded to questions about whether he was at the match by speaking in more detail of the effect the occasion had on him.
"As a 12-year-old boy, I travelled to Sheffield that day, as did so many others, to enjoy watching the team that I loved," he said."As a 12-year-old boy, I travelled to Sheffield that day, as did so many others, to enjoy watching the team that I loved," he said.
"From the upper tier of the Leppings Lane End, I watched the events of that day unfold with horror... Like everybody connected to the Hillsborough disaster, memories of 15 April 1989 bring me nothing but pain and upset.""From the upper tier of the Leppings Lane End, I watched the events of that day unfold with horror... Like everybody connected to the Hillsborough disaster, memories of 15 April 1989 bring me nothing but pain and upset."
But Hillsborough Family Support Group chairwoman Margaret Aspinall told LBC the website errors were "an insult" to people who did lose somebody on that day.But Hillsborough Family Support Group chairwoman Margaret Aspinall told LBC the website errors were "an insult" to people who did lose somebody on that day.
And Barry Downside - whose son Christopher died in the tragedy - said the UKIP leader should have "known better".And Barry Downside - whose son Christopher died in the tragedy - said the UKIP leader should have "known better".
"It's insensitive. We are still awaiting the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service as to whether charges will be brought and we don't need this kind of thing.""It's insensitive. We are still awaiting the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service as to whether charges will be brought and we don't need this kind of thing."