UKIP candidate quits after rant about ‘f***ing disgusting old poofters’
A UKIP parliamentary candidate has been quit after being caught on tape ranting about disgusting “poofters” and “shooting peasants”.
Audio recording has been released by the Mail on Sunday of Kerry Smith – a senior UKIP member who was the party’s candidate in key seat South Basildon and East Thurrock – making a series of seriously offensive comments.
At one point in the recording he rounded on Olly Neville – the former leader of UKIP’s youth wing, who was sacked for supporting gay rights – and the LGBTQ* in UKIP group.
He ranted: “Olly Neville – the sun shines out of his rear end. He’s now setting up BLT UKIP on Facebook.
“What the old poofters groups call themselves. I just call it a BLT like the sandwiches. It’s them letters BLT with a Q on the end, bacon, lettuce and tomato.
“It’s got our logo done with a rainbow. F**king loopy. That’s been approved by the NEC. That’s f**king disgusting.”
He also referred to a Chinese woman by a racial slur, calling her a “Chinky bird”, makes false fraud allegations against party leader Nigel Farage, and jokes about “shooting peasants”.
The party leadership initially dismissed calls for him to be sacked as a candidate, with MEP and comms director Patrick O’Flynn claiming Mr Smith was not “seriously homophobic” because he apologised, and once backed a gay candidate in an internal election.
Mr O’Flynn said the party “[are] willing to judge him on his performance going forward from now” – but LGBTQ* in UKIP appears to call out its own party leadership in a statement, saying the candidate should have been sacked.
Now Mr Smith said: “I want the best for South Basildon and Thurrock and I want to see the real issues discussed that touch the lives of people.
“Therefore I have chosen to resign so that UKIP can win this seat next May.”
UKIP’s LGBT group called for him to be sacked.
Listen to the clips below:
