Nuttal: Labour orchestrated smear campaign over Hillsborough claims
UKIP leader Paul Nuttall has accused Labour of running an “orchestrated smear campaign” over claims relating to the Hillsborough disaster.
Mr Nuttall said he would be willing to stand in a court of law and say that he was at the stadium on the day of the tragedy.
He also said he had suffered “moments of doubt” over whether he is the right person to lead Ukip as the party deals with the fallout from defeat in the Stoke by-election.
Mr Nuttall had to apologise in the run-up to the by-election over a false claim that he lost close friends in the disaster.
But he told The Andrew Marr Show on BBC 1 that suggestions he was not at the were untrue. He said: “There was an orchestrated smear campaign, which I knew was coming from December, which was suggesting that I wasn’t actually at Hillsborough.”
When pushed on who was behind the alleged smear campaign, he added: “There was an orchestrated campaign which I knew was coming which was done by a political party. I’ll leave it at that, okay?”
When asked if he was referring to the Labour Party, he said: “Yes. I am actually. Yes, I am, okay? They suggested that I wasn’t actually at Hillsborough.
“I provided witness statements, I have given evidence to Operation Resolve and I’m prepared to stand in a witness stand in a court of law.”
Mr Nuttall said people needed to get “perspective” on the issue.
He added: “It’s not as if I have lied about weapons of mass destruction. It’s not as if I have taken us into an illegal war.
“It’s not as if I’ve been caught in a paedophile gang or anything.”