Pressure is growing for Henry "I could kill a badger" Bolton to resign after yet more party figures quit in protest against him this morning.
Mike Hookem resigned as Ukip’s assistant deputy leader shortly before midday, following Tim Aker MEP who was local government spokesman, trade spokesman William Dartmouth, immigration spokesman John Bickley and Margot Parker, deputy leader, who also resigned this morning.
A sixth - education spokesman David Kurten - resigned in the afternoon.
In a statement, Hookem said: "It has become increasingly clear that you have now lost the support of not only Ukip's MEPs, party staff and donors; but that of our most important asset - our grassroots members."
He said Bolton had become embroiled in "an almost farcical scandal" saying Ukip was "now in the preposterous situation of the leader's private life being of more interest than the party".
Bolton has been under pressure to resign for more than a week since it emerged that Jo Marney, the woman he had left his wife for shortly before Christmas, had sent a series of racist text messages about the soon-to-be princess Meghan Markle.
Including today's resignations, more than 20 figures have quit over the matter.
On Sunday the party's NEC unanimously backed a vote of no confidence in Bolton - a former Liberal Democrat candidate who once boasted he could kill a badger with his bare hands - but he has so far refused to budge.
Neil Hamilton, the party's leader in Wales, said: "He should now resign from UKIP immediately so we can get on with rebuilding the leadership of the pro-Brexit part party without further distraction.
"If he forces us to hold an EGM, he will only humiliate himself further."
If he does leave, however, Ukip will be faced with holding yet another leadership election.
The anti-immigration party has had six leaders - with Nigel Farage appearing twice - since the EU referendum in June 2016.
