Kilroy-Silk faces resignation calls
Former TV presenter Robert Kilroy-Silk is under pressure to quit the UK Independence Party after hinting he may launch Veritas, a rival to the anti-Europe party.
The former Labour MP for Knowsley and UKIP MEP for the East Midlands – who has already resigned the whip in the European Parliament – on Monday refused to confirm or deny he was aiming to start a new party.
The media-savvy 62-year old told the BBC: “All I can say is that I have been inundated for a long time – from people within UKIP and outside, from all parties and from none – saying that we need a new party.
“There is clearly a huge demand across the country, across people’s background in ages and indeed across the old parties for something that is fresh and new and which will represent them and Britain’s interests.”
UKIP chairwoman, Petrina Holdsworth, said she was convinced Mr Kilroy-Silk would imminently launch a new party.
Ms Holdsworth said Veritas’ manifesto was a mere “parody” of UKIP’s, adding it was “extremely silly”.
She said it included an immigration policy which would refuse a visa to anyone seriously ill with tuberculosis or Aids.
On law and order, she said, the manifesto would fine pubs a full day’s earnings if landlords were found guilty of selling alcohol to underage drinkers.
“Quite clearly he was quite satisfied with UKIP in that he wanted to lead it, for goodness sake, so to start throwing mud at us now seems a little strange,” she told the BBC.
Ms Holdsworth said he ought to resign forthwith from the party and give up his seat in Brussels.
“If he feels he must set this up, so be it but I would like him to resign immediately. He can’t have one foot in the camp and one foot outside the camp,” she said.
