Outspoken UKIP MEP David Coburn ‘considers’ run for leadership
Outspoken gay MEP David Coburn is considering a run for UKIP leader.
The UK Independence Party is currently gearing up for its second leadership election of the year, after leader Diane James stood down after 18 days.
Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who stood down earlier this year, is currently serving as interim leader.
The election was thrown into turmoil yesterday when front-runner Steven Woolfe dramatically quit the party.
Out London Assembly Member Peter Whittle is in contention for the role, against others including Parliamentary spokeswoman Suzanne Evans and Breitbart journalist Raheem Kassam.
Today the leader of UKIP in Scotland David Coburn, who is openly gay, has also thrown himself into contention to lead the party as a whole.
Mr Coburn told the BBC: “I keep saying it is country, party and self last. It is ideas that count, not individuals.
“What we are looking for is an agenda for the future, we are publishing it now and that is how we are moving forward.
“Can I lead the party? Well, if I were asked by colleagues then of course I would do my best.
“But the thing is it is not about who is governing, it is to do with getting a group of people together, a collegiate group of people, who are going to run the thing.”
Mr Coburn has a history of outspoken comments.
The MEP was forced to deny being racist last year after comparing Scottish government minister Humza Yousaf to convicted terrorist Abu Hamza. He also compared then-SNP leader Alex Salmond to dictator Robert Mugabe.
Despite being gay, the politician is a fierce critic of the gay rights movement, regularly claiming that same-sex marriage supporters are “equality Nazis” – and that the Lib Dems and Labour want to ban him from having sex.
In the run-up to the Scottish elections, Mr Coburn has blamed the EU for his broken toaster and launched a manifesto pledging to make ‘political correctness’ in schools illegal.
