Ukip leader Henry Bolton confesses he STILL loves ex-girlfriend Jo Marney
BELEAGURED Ukip leader Henry Bolton yesterday admitted still being in love with the 25-year-old former model whose controversial text messages left him fighting for his job.
The chief of the anti-Brussels party, who faces a crunch no-confidence next weekend, insisted he had "strong affections" for Jo Marney.
He also claimed her mobile phone messages containing racist remarks about Royal bride-to-be Meghan Markle had been "doctored" before being leaked.
Married Mr Bolton, 54, is due to attend a Ukip National Executive Committee next weekend to decide his fate following calls for his resignation in the light of his fling with Miss Marney.
Asked on the BBC1 Andrew Marr Show yesterday if he was still in love with her, he said: "There are strong affections there yes."
There are strong affections there yes
Mr Bolton had been told by Ukip officials to choose between his job or his girlfriend.
Last month, he claimed that the "romantic element" of his relationship with Miss Marney was "over", yet they were picture together soon after enjoying drinks and a meal.
Yesterday he refused to discuss whether the relationship was still "on hold".
He acknowledged that the "general consensus" within Ukip was that here was a "problem with my judgment around that whole episode" while claiming the issue was a distraction from Brexit.
"the point is that actually we are off, and we have been for a very long time, off the field in terms of the debate on leaving the European Union," he said.
"What we should be doing is shaping the future of this country's independence, and that's what we should be focusing on, not whether or not somebody, way before I met them, actually sent private messages that actually had nothing to do with me and I had no means of knowing about."
Mr Marr said Mr Bolton had described his relationship with Ms Marney as "on hold", and asked him: "It's no longer on hold, is it?"
Mr Bolton replied: "Well, if you'll excuse me Andrew, I think actually what the party's concerned about is unifying and projecting its politics.
"For a very long time now, for way before I became leader, all of the members have known that internal communications, the finances, the organisation of the party needed an overhaul."
Mr Bolton also suggested that Ms Marney's messages relating to Ms Markle had been "doctored".
He said: "In the days to come there will be more evidence being presented as to how they were obtained."
A number of senior figures quit their roles after he refused to stand down after the vote of no confidence in him by the party's ruling body.