View all newsletters
Sign up to our newsletters

Support 110 years of independent journalism.

  1. Politics
1 November 2016

Ukip’s Paul Nuttall: “I don’t feel responsible for verbal abuse because Brexit’s great”

The candidates debated hate crime on the radio. 

By Julia Rampen

Labour MPs with slim constituency majorities haven’t had much to laugh about since the Brexit vote.

But if they tuned into LBC’s Ukip leadership debate, they may have finished the day feeling a little more relaxed.

Suzanne Evans, Paul Nuttall, Peter Whittle and John Rees-Evans managed to set out their plans for the party for approximately five minutes before the debate took on a life of its own. 

When asked if he felt responsible for how a Spanish caller had been verbally abused since the referendum, Nuttall responded: “I’m very sorry you’ve been verbally abused, but the bottom line is this, I don’t feel responsible because Brexit is a great thing.”

Evans said she was sorry for the lady because: “I know what it’s like. I’ve been abused on the street for voting Leave.”

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

Rees-Evans blamed the media for connecting the Leave vote to racism, which he said had encouraged “real racists” after the vote. 

Tory plants

Ukip pulled off a stunning victory when British voters opted to Leave the EU in June 2016. Nigel Farage, the leader, resigned, and the party duly picked Diane James to steer the good ship Ukip. 

But 18 days later, she resigned, Farage had to become leader again, and the party’s factional divides were left bare. Steven Woolfe, the original favourite to replace James, had a punch up with Defence spokesman Mike Hookem, and quit. Then Raheem Kassam, another rising star, withdrew his leadership bid. 

Of the remaining four, Evans is seen as the ally of the faction following Douglas Carswell, Farage’s rival. Nuttall is viewed as a potential unifier. Peter Whittle ran for London mayor. 

Asked by a caller if Evans was a Tory stooge, Rees-Evans at first said he didn’t “have sufficient data” on her.

However, he pointed to her attempt to shut down Alan Craig, a man who refers to gay rights activists as the Gaystapo, saying: “That doesn’t sound Ukip to me.”

Whittle was more interested in the motivations of Carswell, Ukip’s only MP, and “would like to get to the bottom of it”.

Trump vs Clinton

While Farage might be happy to defend Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, the Kippers vying to succeed him sounded a little lukewarm.

Evans refused to say who she preferred, and Nuttall pledged to back the third, libertarian candidate, Gary Johnson. 

Rees-Evans said that Trump was “not in anyone’s pocket” but he was concerned about both candidates. As for Whittle’s take? “Right cause, wrong man.”

Content from our partners
The promise of prevention
How Labour hopes to make the UK a leader in green energy
Is now the time to rethink health and care for older people? With Age UK

  1. Politics
1 November 2016

Ukip’s Paul Nuttall: “I don’t feel responsible for verbal abuse because Brexit’s great“

The candidates debated hate crime on the radio. 

By Julia Rampen

Labour MPs with slim constituency majorities haven’t had much to laugh about since the Brexit vote.

But if they tuned into LBC’s Ukip leadership debate, they may have finished the day feeling a little more relaxed.

Suzanne Evans, Paul Nuttall, Peter Whittle and John Rees-Evans managed to set out their plans for the party for approximately five minutes before the debate took on a life of its own. 

When asked if he felt responsible for how a Spanish caller had been verbally abused since the referendum, Nuttall responded: “I’m very sorry you’ve been verbally abused, but the bottom line is this, I don’t feel responsible because Brexit is a great thing.”

Evans said she was sorry for the lady because: “I know what it’s like. I’ve been abused on the street for voting Leave.”

Rees-Evans blamed the media for connecting the Leave vote to racism, which he said had encouraged “real racists” after the vote. 

Tory plants

Ukip pulled off a stunning victory when British voters opted to Leave the EU in June 2016. Nigel Farage, the leader, resigned, and the party duly picked Diane James to steer the good ship Ukip. 

But 18 days later, she resigned, Farage had to become leader again, and the party’s factional divides were left bare. Steven Woolfe, the original favourite to replace James, had a punch up with Defence spokesman Mike Hookem, and quit. Then Raheem Kassam, another rising star, withdrew his leadership bid. 

Of the remaining four, Evans is seen as the ally of the faction following Douglas Carswell, Farage’s rival. Nuttall is viewed as a potential unifier. Peter Whittle ran for London mayor. 

Asked by a caller if Evans was a Tory stooge, Rees-Evans at first said he didn’t “have sufficient data” on her.

However, he pointed to her attempt to shut down Alan Craig, a man who refers to gay rights activists as the Gaystapo, saying: “That doesn’t sound Ukip to me.”

Whittle was more interested in the motivations of Carswell, Ukip’s only MP, and “would like to get to the bottom of it”.

Trump vs Clinton

While Farage might be happy to defend Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, the Kippers vying to succeed him sounded a little lukewarm.

Evans refused to say who she preferred, and Nuttall pledged to back the third, libertarian candidate, Gary Johnson. 

Rees-Evans said that Trump was “not in anyone’s pocket” but he was concerned about both candidates. As for Whittle’s take? “Right cause, wrong man.”

Content from our partners
The promise of prevention
How Labour hopes to make the UK a leader in green energy
Is now the time to rethink health and care for older people? With Age UK

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU