Ukip leadership frontrunner wants to bring back DEATH PENALTY for child killers
UKIP's Paul Nuttall has set out his bid for the party's leadership by declaring his support for referendums on capital punishment and abortion.
UKIP leadership candidate backs a vote for DEATH PENALTY
The former Ukip deputy leader said he would hold a national referendum on bringing back capital punishment.
He told Murnaghan on Sky News that if "enough people signed a petition," he would back a nationwide referendum to bring back capital punishment.
The MEP said the majority of British people would support its return if the referendum was held today.
Such a drastic move would make Britain and Belarus the only two countries in Europe with a legislated death sentence.
Nuttall would hold a national referendum on bringing back capital punishment
The last time someone in Britain was sentenced to death was in 1964 before the punishment was abolished for murder.
He told the programme: "I’ve been quite open that I believe in capital punishment for the killers of children, for Ian Brady, which is what the majority of the British people think."
Mr Nuttall cited "direct democracy" as the way forward for politics, pledging to hold more UK-wide referendums.
He added: “What we are quite committed to is holding national referendums. If a certain number of people sign a petition it would trigger referendums."
He would also hold a referendum on whether the legal period for abortions should be shortened
In 2011, the MEP for North West England signed a controversial petition supporting the restoration of the death penalty "for child and serial killers".
He previously wrote: "I think capital punishment is needed for such heinous crimes and I know that many other people feel the same.
"A YouGov poll last year found that 74% of people supported the death penalty for murder in some circumstances.
“While is not Ukip policy to bring back the death penalty I would vote yes if any such referendum was held on capital punishment."
UKIP won’t rest until UK leaves the EU: Evans
I believe in capital punishment for the killers of children, for Ian Brady
Mr Nuttall also told Sky News he would also hold a referendum on reducing the legal period for abortions should the public want it.
He added that in his personal opinion, he wants to see the legal term limit for abortions halved to 12 weeks.
There are currently seven candidates in the leadership contest, while Nigel Farage has temporarily returned to lead the party.
Nuttall set out his leadership bid on Sky News
Nigel Farage has temporarily returned to lead the party
Mr Nuttall added that he would try to secure Mr Farage a seat in the House of Lords as a "fitting tribute to the man who gave us Brexit".
In the same interview, the frontrunner to take over control of the party also said there had to be better checks on asylum seekers entering Britain to make sure they were not jihadis.