Kilroy-Silk eyes UKIP leadership
UKIP MEP Robert Kilroy-Silk has confirmed his aspiration to become leader of the party and take it into the next general election.
Mr Kilroy-Silk told BBC One’s Breakfast with Frost that he had received backing from the “vast majority” of senior UKIP members to replace Rodger Knapman at the party’s helm.
He claimed that these members had informed him they want Mr Knapman to “accept the inevitable and step down”.
The East Midlands MEP and former chat show host said he would front a “vigorous and articulate” election campaign.
“I would like to be leader of UKIP”, Mr Kilroy-Silk said. “I would regard it as a privilege and an honour.”
“I could turn it into a very effective electoral fighting force.”
The party would be better-off under the control of his leadership rather than the current administration, he said.
Mr Kilroy-Silk admitted such outspokenness would attract calls of “arrogance”, but maintained: “I think it would be better otherwise I wouldn’t want to stand.”
“I have been told by every senior member of the party that they would like me to be leader…I’m told there is a vast majority of the party that would like that to happen.”
Mr Kilroy-Silk also claimed Mr Knapman had told him he wanted to stand down after the 10 June European elections.
“But then of course he got a massive election result and probably he liked the size of his new train set, now he’s changed his mind.”
Although no mechanism exists to compel Mr Knapman to stand against him, Mr Kilroy-Silk stated: “If there was I would stand, I would be open and transparent.”
“I owe it to the party and the party owes it to itself to make a choice.”
Mr Kilroy-Silk concluded saying ultimately it would boil down to a question for the party’s membership to decide on.
“If the party doesn’t think I’m the person to lead it into the next general election in a vigorous and articulate way with a clear view of where we are going and a vision of what we want, if they decide that I’m not that person, that is fine.”
Mr Knapman, speaking yesterday, insisted there was no vacancy at the party’s helm.
The UKIP leader said he had been elected for a four year term and that it was not in Mr Kilroy-Silk’s interest to “kick over any applecart” in light of the successes enjoyed by the party in recent months.
The party has been buoyed after it gained 11 MEPs who took up their seats after June’s European elections and two new London Assembly members.
UKIP also made gains in Thursday’s Hartlepool by-election, pushing the Tories into fourth place.
In the by-election Stephen Allison of UKIP secured 3,193 votes, relegating Tory candidate Jeremy Middleton into fourth place.
Labour’s Iain Wright won with 12,752 votes, with Jody Dunn of the Liberal Democrats coming in second with 10,719.
Party leader, Rodger Knapman, stressed there could be no “forgiving” of any actions which serve to disrupt the progress.
