Ukip pair quit after ‘intolerable insensitivity’ over Hillsborough
TWO senior Ukip officials in Liverpool have quit over the party’s “crass insensitivity” over the Hillsborough tragedy.
Stuart Monkcom, chairman of leader Paul Nuttall’s branch in Liverpool, and Adam Heatherington, chairman of the Merseyside regional branch, said comments made by party figures had been “upsetting and intolerable” for the victims’ families.
The announcement is another blow to Mr Nuttall just days before the Stoke-onTrent Central by-election, where he is hoping to oust Labour.
He has already had to apologise for a statement on his website falsely claiming he lost “close friends” in the disaster in which 96 Liver- pool fans died. The party’s millionaire backer Arron Banks caused further anger when he said he was “sick to death” of hearing about Hillsborough and accused critics of Mr Nuttall of “milking” the disaster for political purposes.
In a statement, Mr Monkcom said: “Although the timing of our resignations is unfortunate in light of upcoming elections, both Adam and I wish to make it clear where the painful subject of Hillsborough is concerned, with closure not yet in sight, this unprofessional approach and crass insensitivity from high-profile people closely within and without Ukip is upsetting and intolerable.”
During an emotional address to Ukip’s spring conference in Bolton on Friday, Mr Nuttall claimed he had been the victim of a “co-ordinated, cruel and almost evil smear campaign” over Hillsborough.
He has insisted a press officer was responsible for the inaccurate claim that he had lost friends in the disaster.