UKIP leadership contender Bill Etheridge not 'chasing the bigot vote'

The West Midlands MEP officially launched his bid to succeed Nigel Farage with a speech in which he said Ukip needs to focus on policies which cement libertarianism into the party's DNA.

Mr Etheridge has unveiled a number of controversial policies since announcing his decision to stand as leader last month.

They include calling for a referendum on the death penalty – which he wants to see brought back – and for a ban on women wearing the burka in public places.

In his speech in Manchester he said: "I am proposing that as a party we focus on our policies, cementing libertarianism into our DNA.

"That means not focusing on small issues like Islam which makes us look small-minded – I'm not chasing the bigot vote."

After his speech he told the Express & Star that Islam 'is an important issue to talk about', but added: "It cannot be all we talk about.

"The one mistake I won't make in this leadership is to ignore the people. We are a grassroots party. Leading is bringing the best out of us all," he said.

Mr Etheridge, who is also a Dudley councillor, has positioned himself as the unity candidate in the leadership campaign and has vowed to stop the party from shifting 'too far to the left'.

"I do not want the party to scurry to the centre and abandon the values we as a party are supposed to promote, like a small state, low taxes and individual liberties," he said.

"It is our difference which is our strength," he said.

Meanwhile, Lisa Duffy launched her leadership campaign yesterday.

She joined Mr Etheridge in calling for a ban on the burka and also called for the closure of Islamic faith schools until the problem of Islamist terrorism is dealt with.

She said that her proposals were designed to foster integration, arguing that: "Muslims who were born in this country are as British as I am and I simply want them to feel as British as I do."

Ms Duffy and Mr Etheridge are among a field of six candidates on the ballot paper in a race from which early favourites, like Suzanne Evans and Steven Woolfe, have been excluded.

The winner will be announced at Ukip's annual conference in Bournemouth on September 15.