Bill Etheridge: Why I'm standing down as Ukip leadership contender to support Paul Nuttall
IT WAS an honour to stand for the leadership of Ukip in the first leadership election of 2016.
Bill Etheridge will be backing his friend and colleague Paul Nuttall
My team fought an honest, open and principled campaign based on ensuring UKIP remained a libertarian, low tax, small state party.
I initially threw my hat in the ring to once again push forward the principles which are in our party constitution but which I feel have been pushed to the wayside by other candidate.
I believe Paul is the right man to bring unity to our party and lead us into a bright, positive future
Right from the start, however, I said I would step aside if another candidate I felt I could support and who would unite the party decided to stand.
So today I announce that I have withdrawn my candidacy and will instead be backing my friend and colleague Paul Nuttall MEP.
I believe Paul is the right man to bring unity to our party and lead us into a bright, positive future.
Ukip is more relevant than ever. We not only need to keep the pressure on to ensure Brexit is achieved but to give the British people a bright and optimistic vision of the UK free from the shackles of the EU.
The time for squabbles infighting and egos is over. We have a serious mission as a party and we need to start behaving in a serious and business-like manner to achieve our goals.
Paul Nuttall announces he will stand for UKIP leader
Paul has the overwhelming support of the party membership and elected members in the country.
This is his moment to step forward and ensure that Ukip has a future and the British people have a voice
Paul was a more than capable deputy to Nigel Farage for many years and the party chairman before that.
Paul was a more than capable deputy to Nigel Farage for many years
'We’ve won Brexit, now we need to lead this country forward to a great future', Mr Etheridge said
Ukip is in his blood and we can rest assured that this candidate is not driven by ego or ambition but instead through love of party and country
Paul is a decent, likeable and honourable man.
Paul Nuttall is the 'right man to bring unity to our party'
I believe he will lead Ukip to greater successes particularly speaking up for the working man and woman in the North and Midlands who have been completely abandoned by Labour.
We’ve won Brexit, now we need to lead this country forward to a great future running our own country and taking its place on the world stage.