Henry Bolton wants to ‘draw a line’ under racist Jo Marney affair – and says it will be the END of Ukip if he’s forced out

HENRY Bolton said he wants to “draw a line” under the scandal over his relationship with Jo Marney and her racists messages as he refuses again to resign as Ukip leader.

And in a defiant interview ahead of a crunch meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee, he said it will be the end for Ukip if he is forced out.

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Blasting officials who will decide his fate this afternoon, he told ITV’s Peston On Sunday they should investigate his critics, not his relationship with Ms Marney.

He said they “are not a court of moral judgement", and his private life should not be under the scrutiny – despite ongoing questions about whether he has ended things with the model 25 years his junior.

Speaking this morning he said he wants to “draw a line” under his ex-girlfriend’s comments, after a shocking Facebook rant about Islam was uncovered today.

The former activist, who has now left Ukip over the furore, is claimed to have called Muslims "the cancer of this earth".

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Despite the scandal when asked by if he will step down, less than six months after winning the leadership contest, he said "No I’m not no.”

Asked why not he replied: “The party needs cohesion and it needs direction going forward.

“And it needs continuing the agenda which has been initiated to reform the internal workings of the party; its finances, its planning and so on.”

And confirming stories which had been rumoured this week he said: “A leadership contest now would be almost financially unviable for the party.”

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Pushed by Mr Peston over claims by other figures in the party who say it is on the brink of collapse with him in charge, he claimed that it would be “over "for Ukip if he was ousted.

He added: “If the NEC decided to go down the route of further infighting and further negative media scrutiny by deciding to pass a vote of no confidence in me then I think that the reality is that the party is probably over.”

And he defended still seeing Ms Marney, saying he wanted to "support her in rebuilding her life", which he said had been "turned on its head" after receiving multiple death threats.