Update: Ukip leader Henry Bolton urged to quit over girlfriend's 'racist' Meghan Markle remarks

Update 8.05pm: Ukip leader Henry Bolton is facing calls to resign as his girlfriend was suspended from the party for allegedly making racist remarks about Meghan Markle.

Update: Ukip leader Henry Bolton urged to quit over girlfriend's 'racist' Meghan Markle remarks

Update 8.05pm: Ukip leader Henry Bolton is facing calls to resign as his girlfriend was suspended from the party for allegedly making racist remarks about Meghan Markle.

Mr Bolton's 25-year-old partner Jo Marney has apologised for "shocking" language in a series of messages to a friend in which she made highly offensive comments about Prince Harry's fiancee and black people.

The 54-year-old party leader, whose relationship with Ms Marney is under investigation by Ukip, said on Sunday that she had been suspended "immediately upon us receiving this information".

The Mail On Sunday printed texts it said had been sent by Ms Marney, including use of the word "Negro" and a message reading "This is Britain, not Africa" during a discussion about the royal engagement.

Mr Bolton, whose controversial private life is already being probed by senior party officials, is now facing calls to step down.

Ukip West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge, addressing the party leader via an online video, said: "Go now. Go quietly and leave us to deal with what's left."

In the Facebook message Mr Etheridge said: "It appears that we are now seeing Ukip resources, which are at best scant, being used to defend Henry's private life."

He said he would step down as a Ukip spokesman if Mr Bolton, who was elected leader last September, "insists on prolonging this agony".

Fellow former Ukip leadership candidate Ben Walker also called for Mr Bolton to resign, accusing him of having "deeply flawed judgment".

Asked by the Press Association whether Mr Bolton should resign former Ukip leader Nigel Farage declined to comment.

Former leadership candidate Suzanne Evans told BBC News: "It's just another scandal on top of scandal after scandal with Mr Bolton. I understand he is considering his position today.

"We will have to see what the next few hours bring."

Party chairman Paul Oakden said Mr Bolton now finds himself with a "difficult" decision to make and is expected to decide on Sunday what to do to "help remedy the situation".

He told BBC's Sunday Politics: "I think it is very clear that Henry is increasingly in a position where he's got some difficult decisions to make."

Mr Oakden, who declined to give his own views on Mr Bolton's current situation, said the party needs to be "behind our leader 100% in taking that battle (for Brexit) forward".

He said: "Whether or not the party decides it is willing to give that support to Henry is for the party to decide."

The party's National Executive Committee will meet next Sunday.

In a statement to the paper Ms Marney, who describes herself on her Twitter profile as a model, actor and journalist, as well as a Brexiteer, apologised.

She said: "The opinions I expressed were deliberately exaggerated in order to make a point and have, to an extent, been taken out of context. Yet I fully recognise the offence they have caused."

Mr Bolton told a young party member online, who urged that Ms Marney should have her membership removed: "Jo was suspended immediately upon us receiving this information."

Peter Whittle, leader of Ukip's delegation in the London Assembly, called for Ms Marney to be "expelled altogether" for the "disgraceful remarks".

Mr Bolton left wife Tatiana, 42, who gave birth to their second daughter at London's St Pancras station in 2016 after going into labour on a train, prior to his relationship with Ms Marney becoming public in early January.

The Ukip leader confirmed that he had a "change in my relationship status" in recent weeks, although he denied reports that it had involved "a clandestine affair with a young lady who happens also to be a member of Ukip".

Earlier: Girlfriend of Ukip leader suspended after 'racist' Meghan Markle remarks

The girlfriend of Ukip leader Henry Bolton has been suspended from the party after reportedly making racist remarks about Meghan Markle.

Jo Marney, 25, sent a series of messages to a friend in which she made highly offensive comments about Prince Harry's fiancee and black people, according the Mail on Sunday.

In a statement to the paper, Ms Marney said she apologised "unreservedly" for the "shocking language" used in the messages, but said they had been "taken out of context".

Mr Bolton, 54, whose relationship with Ms Marney is under investigation by the party, said on Sunday that she had been suspended "immediately upon us receiving this information".

The Ukip leader sent the message in reply to a young party member who urged him to publicly call for Ms Marney to have her membership removed.

"She has to go or he and @UKIP are doomed if we let this behaviour happen in the party," the teenage activist said.

Peter Whittle, leader of Ukip's delegation in the London Assembly, also called for Ms Marney to be "expelled altogether" for the "disgraceful remarks".

Meanwhile former Ukip leadership candidate Ben Walker called for Mr Bolton to resign, accusing him of having "deeply flawed judgement".

Party chairman Paul Oakden said he decided to suspend Ms Marney's party membership immediately after he was made aware of the messages.

"Ukip does not, has not and never will condone racism," he told the Mail on Sunday.

The report of Ms Marney's use of highly offensive language about people from different ethnic backgrounds comes as Mr Bolton faces an investigation into his controversial private life by senior party officials.

Mr Bolton left wife Tatiana, 42, who gave birth to their second daughter at London's St Pancras station in 2016 after going into labour on a train, prior to his relationship with Ms Marney becoming public in early January.

The Ukip leader confirmed that he had a "change in my relationship status" in recent weeks, although denied reports that is had involved "a clandestine affair with a young lady who happens also to be a member of Ukip".

He said he had already made clear on social media that he had recently been spending time "with somebody who has become increasingly important to me".

On Sunday he was accused on Twitter of being in Ms Marney's company when he appeared on television in mid-October.

He tweeted: "Utterly false! Photo taken by Gawain Towler (Ukip communications official). The woman just in shot is a BBC staffer."

In a letter to members, Mr Oakden said the National Executive Committee ruling body agreed to discuss the leader's private life at a special meeting in January.

On Sunday a teenage activist called on Mr Bolton to back calls for Ms Marney to be expelled from Ukip.

"If @_HenryBolton truly cares about @UKIP he will publicly call for Jo Marney removal from the party her words were blatantly racist and there should be no room for that in UKIP," the young party member said.

"Also it would be hypocritical to allow her to stay... because he said in the leadership election he was the candidate against racism and nazis so she has to go or he and @UKIP are doomed if we let this behaviour happen in the party."

"Jo was suspended immediately upon us receiving this information," Mr Bolton tweeted in reply.

"The opinions I expressed were deliberately exaggerated in order to make a point and have, to an extent, been taken out of context. Yet I fully recognise the offence they have caused," Ms Marney said in a statement.

On her Twitter profile Ms Marney describes herself as a model, actor and journalist, as well as a Brexiteer.

Mr Bolton was elected Ukip leader last September.

more courts articles

Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother
Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van
Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman

More in this section

Russia wears down Ukrainian defences with missile and drone attacks Russia wears down Ukrainian defences with missile and drone attacks
Paramedics among 16 people killed by Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon Paramedics among 16 people killed by Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon
French legislators ponder law to ban discrimination based on a person’s hair French legislators ponder law to ban discrimination based on a person’s hair
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited