Ukip leader Henry Bolton has said he will not resign, but will "drain the swamp" of the party he heads up.

Bolton has come under intense pressure to quit following the scandal over his ex-girlfriend's racists texts.

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. Today he faced a slew of resignations from his senior figures, but defied them all by saying he would stay on .

In a brief statement, Bolton said he had advised the NEC "not to expose the party to the financial... and political cost of yet another leadership contest", and the need to focus on the upcoming local elections as well as "ensuring the government delivers a truly independent United Kingdom when we leave the European Union."

He said he would not resign as party leader, instead he will "call for the coordination and mobilisation of all Leave campaigns", and for the party to "mobilise in order to support that effort" over the next four weeks.

"I am determined not to allow the NEC to distract the party away from participating forcefully in the independence debate," he added.

Bolton added that the NEC was "unfit for purpose", saying he and a large swathe of party members had lost confidence in it. As a result, he will put forward a new party constitution and reformed committee.

"It is now time to put an end to factional infighting that has been going on within the party for some time and remove those who have been party of that. In a single phrase, it is time to drain the swamp," he said.

More to follow....