Ukip leader Henry Bolton SPLITS with girlfriend in bid to save job
UKIP leader Henry Bolton has announced he has ended his relationship with 25-year-old Jo Marney, after she was suspended from the party over racist comments about Prince Harry’s fiancee Meghan Markle.
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Mr Bolton was threatened that he would be sacked if he stood by her.
The leader made the announcement on ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
Mr Bolton’s relationship with Ms Marney came under scrutiny after it emerged that she had made racist comments about Ms Markle.
The Ukip leader admitted that the relationship was “obviously quite incompatible” with his role at the top of the party and said that the “romantic” part of their relationship was over.
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However, he aded that he would continue to support Ms Marney’s family who had been left “distraught” by the revelations.
Mr Bolton started a relationship with the “model, actor and Brexiteer” 28 years his junior after splitting up with his wife.
At the time the relationship was revealed the politician said his Russian wife Tatiana, who he has two children with, had been supportive when he was elected as leader of UKIP last September.
But, in a statement following the revelations, he denies having any kind of “clandestine affair”.
Speaking on ITV this morning Mr Bolton aimed to distance himself from comments made by Ms Marney after she used the word “Negro” and in a message about the royal engagement said “this is Britain, not Africa”.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain he said: “I don't defend these comments whatsoever and indeed Jo has been suspended pending an investigation under the normal rules of the party for such things and it is against the constitution for the party to be racist in any way.
"As of last night the romantic side of our relationship is ended.”
Following the revelations about his girlfriend Paul Oakden, the Chairman of Ukip, had said over the weekend that Mr Bolton had to make a decision over his leadership of the party.
He said: “I think it is very clear that Henry is increasingly in a position where he has got some difficult decisions to make. He knows that. He and I have spoken regularly over the weekend as recently as this morning.
“I know that he is very focused on those decisions today. He intends on making those decisions today and I am sure whatever he does will be in the best interests of the party.”
