Express & Star

Black Country MP: UKIP without Nigel Farage would fight 'like ferrets in a sack'

UKIP would fight 'like ferrets in a sack' if Nigel Farage quits as leader, a senior Labour MP has said.

Published

John Spellar said Mr Farage was getting his defence in early by saying he will leave as leader if he fails to win a seat as an MP.

John Spellar, MP for Warley

The Warley MP said it was difficult to see what form UKIP would take without him.

"It's hard to tell what would happen without him as UKIP is such a disparate group.

"And I'm struggling to think of another party that has had to apologise so much for so many of its candidates' behaviour and views.

"If Farage goes UKIP will fight like ferrets in a sack over the leadership."

But there was praise for Mr Farage for being 'honest' about his intentions.

Bill Etheridge, UKIP MEP for the West Midlands and a candidate for Parliament in Dudley North, said: "Nigel has displayed his usual candour in explaining what would happen if he did not win a seat.

Bill Etheridge

"He is a massive asset to the party and the vast majority of us would support him being leader as long as he wanted to be.

"But he makes a valid point when he says that it would not be credible for him to lead without a Westminster seat, when we are fighting to win seats across the country.

"The party is bigger than one man. It is growing and it will continue to grow.

"Hopefully this will not be an issue because Nigel will win in South Thanet and will lead us in Westminster."

Mr Etheridge said he would have no ambitions of the leadership if he wins in the marginal Labour seat of Dudley North and Mr Farage lost his own election battle.

Former MEP Mike Nattrass, who has accusing Mr Farage of running a 'one-man party' said: "His manner is that of a dictator and he might live to regret saying this."

Mr Farage said he if he does not overturn the Conservative majority in the Kent seat it will be 'curtains for me'.

He admitted it would be 'just not credible' for him to stay at the top of the party if he failed on May 7.

In his book, The Purple Revolution, he wrote: "The consequences of me failing to secure a seat for myself in the Commons would be significant for both myself and the party.

"It is frankly just not credible for me to continue to lead the party without a Westminster seat."

"What credibility would UKIP have in the Commons if others had to enunciate party policy in Parliament and the party leader was only allowed in as a guest?

"Was I supposed to brief UKIP policy from the Westminster Arms? No - if I fail to win South Thanet, it is curtains for me. I will have to step down."

Mr Farage also accused his rival Al Murray, running in South Thanet in his comedy guise as the Pub Landlord for the newly-formed Free United Kingdom Party (FUKP), of 'patronising' voters.

He said: "Clearly it's all been a bit of a stunt and we understand that. I think the attitude and his comedy act will be taken by a lot of people in this part of the world as slightly patronising.

"He's really laughing at them and I think the joke is starting to wear a bit thin. I don't think the failure to parachute is the relevant bit. His failure to answer the question as to why he is here and what he is doing is more important.

"I very much doubt he will be on the ballot paper."

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.