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| Ukip leader says he still loves former girlfriend who sent racist texts | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Henry Bolton does not rule out rekindling relationship and says he is victim of internal party plot to oust him | Henry Bolton does not rule out rekindling relationship and says he is victim of internal party plot to oust him |
| Jessica Elgot Political reporter | Jessica Elgot Political reporter |
| Thu 18 Jan 2018 09.32 GMT | Thu 18 Jan 2018 09.32 GMT |
| Last modified on Thu 18 Jan 2018 11.01 GMT | |
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| The Ukip leader, Henry Bolton, has admitted he is still in love with his former girlfriend after their relationship ended amid allegations she had sent racist text messages. | The Ukip leader, Henry Bolton, has admitted he is still in love with his former girlfriend after their relationship ended amid allegations she had sent racist text messages. |
| Bolton said he had been the victim of an internal plot to oust him, comparing his time as leader to facing the Taliban. | Bolton said he had been the victim of an internal plot to oust him, comparing his time as leader to facing the Taliban. |
| “I’m going nowhere,” the ex-British army officer told the Telegraph. “I have seen people die, I have seen people blown up, I have seen people shot. Even the Taliban doesn’t quite prepare you for Ukip, though.” | “I’m going nowhere,” the ex-British army officer told the Telegraph. “I have seen people die, I have seen people blown up, I have seen people shot. Even the Taliban doesn’t quite prepare you for Ukip, though.” |
| Bolton, who has been facing calls from within his own party to resign, said he and his former girlfriend Jo Marney had been through a difficult time, after the pair were spotted together at a restaurant in Westminster. | Bolton, who has been facing calls from within his own party to resign, said he and his former girlfriend Jo Marney had been through a difficult time, after the pair were spotted together at a restaurant in Westminster. |
| Marney was revealed to have made racial slurs in text messages including against Meghan Markle, Prince Harry’s fiancee. | Marney was revealed to have made racial slurs in text messages including against Meghan Markle, Prince Harry’s fiancee. |
| Bolton said he had broken off the relationship and Marney has been suspended from the party, with Bolton due to have his conduct examined by Ukip’s national executive committee on Sunday. | Bolton said he had broken off the relationship and Marney has been suspended from the party, with Bolton due to have his conduct examined by Ukip’s national executive committee on Sunday. |
| Overnight, Bolton wrote on Facebook that an “organised coup and insurgency against my leadership of our party has begun”. | Overnight, Bolton wrote on Facebook that an “organised coup and insurgency against my leadership of our party has begun”. |
| “Prominent individuals both inside and outside the party have cooperated with leftwing media to intentionally destabilise the party during this time and turn the members against me,” he wrote. “I was elected to lead this party and shall continue doing so against interest groups that I will unveil.” | “Prominent individuals both inside and outside the party have cooperated with leftwing media to intentionally destabilise the party during this time and turn the members against me,” he wrote. “I was elected to lead this party and shall continue doing so against interest groups that I will unveil.” |
| On Thursday, Bolton told the Telegraph he would not rule out rekindling his relationship with Marney, for whom he left his wife shortly before Christmas. | On Thursday, Bolton told the Telegraph he would not rule out rekindling his relationship with Marney, for whom he left his wife shortly before Christmas. |
| “I don’t rule it out, not at all,” he said. Asked if he still loved her, Bolton said: “Yeah, absolutely. | “I don’t rule it out, not at all,” he said. Asked if he still loved her, Bolton said: “Yeah, absolutely. |
| “This is all pretty fast and furious. There’s pressure to really understand what our relationship is. The feelings are there. | “This is all pretty fast and furious. There’s pressure to really understand what our relationship is. The feelings are there. |
| “I have to say that in that brief time we had ... I haven’t been that happy in many years. That relaxed, that comfortable. She needs to sort her life out, I need to sort my life out. We will see what happens going forward.” | “I have to say that in that brief time we had ... I haven’t been that happy in many years. That relaxed, that comfortable. She needs to sort her life out, I need to sort my life out. We will see what happens going forward.” |
| The Ukip leader said he had found Marney to be “politically very aware” when they met in a pub and began talking about immigration. | The Ukip leader said he had found Marney to be “politically very aware” when they met in a pub and began talking about immigration. |
| Bill Etheridge, a Ukip MEP and former leadership candidate, resigned as a party spokesman over the row and called for Bolton to go “before his ego finally drags the party down”. | Bill Etheridge, a Ukip MEP and former leadership candidate, resigned as a party spokesman over the row and called for Bolton to go “before his ego finally drags the party down”. |
| Suzanne Evans, a former Ukip deputy leader, also said she expected Bolton to either resign or be sacked because of how he handled his relationship. | Suzanne Evans, a former Ukip deputy leader, also said she expected Bolton to either resign or be sacked because of how he handled his relationship. |
| Should Bolton resign or be forced out, the party would need to seek its fourth leader since mid-2016, when Nigel Farage resigned after the EU referendum. | Should Bolton resign or be forced out, the party would need to seek its fourth leader since mid-2016, when Nigel Farage resigned after the EU referendum. |
| UK Independence party (Ukip) | UK Independence party (Ukip) |
| Race issues | Race issues |
| news | news |
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