Kilroy-Silk threatened with UKIP expulsion
UKIP’s leader in the European Parliament has called for the whip to be withdrawn from Robert Kilroy-Silk after he hinted that he might attempt to set up a “new” party.
Nigel Farage told BBC Radio Four’s PM that he had gone “too far” in talking about forming a break away party.
Mr Kilroy-Silk has in recent weeks been increasingly vocal about his ambition to replace Rodger Knapman as party leader.
In an interview to be broadcast on GMTV’s Sunday Programme tomorrow, Mr Kilroy-Silk said disillusioned voters wanted a “new voice and a new style of politics”.
But Mr Farage dubbed Mr Kilroy-Silk’s leadership aspirations as “ridiculous”, given he said, his level of support within the party is “only at 13 per cent”.
Therefore, Mr Farage stated: “Given that he’s totally ignored the polite demands that we made last week I see no option left to us but to remove the whip.”
“This argument has caused us real collateral damage over the course of the last couple of weeks”, he said.
“My view is that if you start talking about forming break away parties you’ve gone a step too far and that we have to act, we have to do something about it.”
Mr Farage did admit that the former chat show host stands as UKIP’s most recognizable personality.
Additionally, he paid tribute to his communication skills and efforts in recent elections.
But a resolute Mr Farage maintained that the party “is much bigger than just Robert Kilroy-Silk”.
“Yes of course losing him would be a blow”, he said. “But if we lose somebody who is currently campaigning against us and we become unified again, well then that must be for the good.”
Although the “majority” of party members would be “prepared to forget what has been said in recent weeks”, the likelihood of that happening is “pretty low at the moment”, Mr Farage stated.
The leader of the UK Independence Party today also urged Robert Kilroy-Silk to end his campaign to unseat him.
Roger Knapman was making his comments as he released the results of a poll of UKIP branch chairmen, which he claims shows overwhelming backing for his position as leader.
However, Mr Kilroy-Silk and his supporters have dismissed the poll as “farcical”, claiming that the chairmen had faced “moral blackmail and emotional pressure” to back Mr Knapman, regardless of their true feelings.
