Bolton ousted as Ukip awaits sixth leader in 18 months
Former leader suggested that he could pursue legal action against individuals over the way he was treated
HENRY BOLTON was ousted as Ukip leader last night after members voted overwhelmingly to back a vote of no confidence in him.
The motion, which was issued against him by the party’s national executive last month, was backed by activists 867 votes to 500 at an extraordinary general meeting.
But in an act of defiance, Mr Bolton suggested that he could pursue legal action against individuals in the party over his treatment, having made similar threats to senior party figures on Friday evening.
His dismissal means that Ukip will be forced to appoint its sixth political leader in just 18 months. The party’s national executive committee last night announced Gerard Batten MEP as interim leader until a contest is held.
Mr Bolton did not rule out resuming his relationship with the model Jo Marney, from whom he was forced to distance himself after she was reported to have made offensive remarks about Meghan Markle, Prince Harry’s fiancé.
Coming to his defence last night, Ms Marney said that her love for him was “unconditional”, irrespective of whether he was leader of Ukip. “I ain’t going anywhere,” she said.
She added: “I love the bloke and that’s that. Ukip leader or dustman. I may be many things, but shallow isn’t one of them. We’ve stood by each other throughout this and I will continue to do so.”
Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Bolton said that he had “several options open to him”, adding that legal action against unnamed individuals was one possibility he was considering. He declined to comment further when pressed for more details.
“I’m not going to discuss the options until I know which ones I’m going to pursue,” he said. “I will be looking at various legal options in relation to a number of things which have arisen during the last few weeks, and once I’ve got that legal advice I will decide what action to take if any.”
Amid warnings from Nigel Farage on Friday that the party is collapsing, Mr Bolton said that the membership’s decision to vote by a margin of 63 per cent to depose him would “undoubtedly damage the party”.
He also refused to rule out the possibility that he could join another party after being driven from the leadership, adding: “You can’t keep a good man down. I’m not finished in politics, so it’s just one of those bumps in the road.”
This newspaper has seen an email sent by Mr Bolton to senior Ukip figures warning that if the party failed to suspend political rival Ben Walker he would seek to take out an injunction to stop yesterday’s EGM taking place.
Mr Walker, a rival of the Ukip leader, has previously stated that Mr Bolton’s controversial affair with Ms Marney demonstrated a “disastrous lack of judgment and complete disregard for the party’s reputation”.
Mr Bolton has also accused Mr Walker of colluding with Ms Marney’s ex-boyfriend and others in the party in order to undermine him as leader.
The email, sent on Friday evening, read: “If by 4pm on the 16 Feb you have not suspended this person … I will consult solicitors to make emergency application to get an injunction stopping the EGM taking place.”
During the meeting, which took place at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham, Mr Bolton was also reported to have used his speech to accuse his rivals of “political opportunism” and to attack members backing his dismissal as “the enemy within”.
However, he was challenged by Paul Oakley, the party’s general secretary, who earlier this week claimed that “he has done nothing as leader” and had failed to make the “case for Brexit”.
Mr Bolton’s defeat has also left Nigel Farage’s future in the party in doubt, with the former leader absent from yesterday’s meeting.
Last night, sources close to Mr Farage suggested that the ejection of Mr Bolton, a key ally, would be seen as the “last straw” after he warned earlier this week that the party is “collapsing”.
Ukip is rumoured to be facing bankruptcy following a High Court ruling earlier this week that the party would be forced to pay part of the £670,000 legal bill wracked up during a libel case against its MEP Jane Collins.