[JoshBB]

A leading UKIP candidate has issued an "unreserved apology" over comments he made in a leaked phone call.

A recording of Kerry Smith's remarks were obtained by the Mail On Sunday.

A UKIP spokesman said they were "the rantings of an angry man" who was on sedatives for an injury at the time.

Mr Smith is the party's candidate to contest the South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency at the next general election.

During the recorded conversation, Mr Smith talks about UKIP setting up a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) group.

He can be heard jokingly referring to it as BLT UKIP, and adds "what the old poofter groups call themselves".

He jokes about "shooting peasants" from the Essex town of Chigwell and supporting "a peasant's hunt through Chigwell village".

And he also made comments about the UKIP leadership which he has since retracted.

'Unreserved apology'
Last week Mr Smith was reinstated as UKIP's candidate for South Basildon and East Thurrock, a seat in which the party hopes to make a serious challenge.



He had earlier been dropped by the party in favour of the former Conservative MP Neil Hamilton. But Mr Hamilton withdrew his candidature ahead of a selection meeting on Thursday.

A UKIP spokesman confirmed to the BBC that Mr Smith had apologised to the party's leader Nigel Farage.

He described the comments as "the ranting of an angry man" and added that at the time they were made, Mr Smith was on sedatives for an injury.

In a statement made by a UKIP spokesman on his behalf, Mr Smith said: "I wish to issue a wholehearted and unreserved apology to those who I have offended within the party and anyone else.

"With regards to the leadership and management of the party I was completely wrong and my comments were fuelled by frustrations."

Source - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30467897

Maybe doctors should advise patients that medication can lead to outbursts of racism and homophobia.

It's actually quite worrying though as he is the candidate for my constituency, and he's expected to win..

[Scarlett.]

God ****ing help this country if UKIP gets any form of power at the General Election, they're like the Daily Mail in the flesh.

[JoshBB]

Originally Posted by Chewdolph

God ****ing help this country if UKIP gets any form of power at the General Election, they're like the Daily Mail in the flesh.

So true.

[Samm]

Fat ugly ****

[LeatherTrumpet]

I would like to know why a personal call was recorded, by whom and i take it people do realise that political candidates are not on call 24 hours a day.

This stinks of a dirty tricks campaign by a very frightened labour or conservatives

If I recorded your personal phone calls how would you stand up?

no, I thought not

smh at this rubbish

[Loukas]

A UKIP member racist and homophobic!?! Never!

they are all a bunch of pricks anyway

[T*]

You're all as bad as each other.
I literally hate politics- Bias, just general stupid **** goes on.
That guy is a prick- The things he said were vile- But on the other hand, Why were they snooping through his phone calls? Surely that is a breach of privacy whatever his beliefs may be, and i'm not endorsing his actions in any way; but I think they shouldn't be allowed to record or tap into any private phone calls, it doesn't sit right with me. Have you all not learnt from the NOTW incident a few years ago?

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by JollyBB

Maybe doctors should advise patients that medication can lead to outbursts of racism and homophobia.

It's actually quite worrying though as he is the candidate for my constituency, and he's expected to win..

I shouldn't laugh..but it it's an excuse you'd find in a 'little Britain' sketch or something :/

[LeatherTrumpet]

Originally Posted by Mistletom

You're all as bad as each other.
I literally hate politics- Bias, just general stupid **** goes on.
That guy is a prick- The things he said were vile- But on the other hand, Why were they snooping through his phone calls? Surely that is a breach of privacy whatever his beliefs may be, and i'm not endorsing his actions in any way; but I think they shouldn't be allowed to record or tap into any private phone calls, it doesn't sit right with me. Have you all not learnt from the NOTW incident a few years ago?

The Mail is an establishment organ and the journos will be under instruction to get at ukip just like they did for the snp when they were running 5 negative articles per day in the 2 weeks running up to the referendum. expect the same against ukip.

[T*]

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/02/05...investigation/
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....phobic-7275726
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-election.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27272907
http://www.conservativehome.com/loca...-campaign.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...iage-vote.html

Stop focusing your hate at one party- Your little perfect parties aren't as innocent as they seem.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Chewdolph

God ****ing help this country if UKIP gets any form of power at the General Election, they're like the Daily Mail in the flesh.

.

I think we have to brace ourselves for them forming some kind of coalition though

[T*]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ess-party.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...former-2125198
http://tab.co.uk/2014/08/04/tory-soc...anti-semitism/
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...-1980s-3177489
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...e-9674092.html

No-one blinks twice at this though. As I said- You're all as bad as each other.

[JoshBB]

Originally Posted by Mistletom

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ess-party.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...former-2125198
http://tab.co.uk/2014/08/04/tory-soc...anti-semitism/
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...-1980s-3177489
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...e-9674092.html

No-one blinks twice at this though. As I said- You're all as bad as each other.

Why are you digging up old news stories? The one on Kerry Smith is recent (today actually), which is why we are discussing it.

And I do have to agree with a few of you actually - his phone calls should not be listened to in such a way and I in no way support that. However it is no excuse to hide his bigotry behind that, and it is a positive thing that we now know who we are dealing with.

[Liam-]

He shouldn't have said what he said, however there is no crime against his opinions on certain people.

His private phone calls should never have been recorded and should never have made it out into the public, that is what's wrong with this whole scenario.

[T*]

Originally Posted by NoëlEdmonds

He shouldn't have said what he said, however there is no crime against his opinions on certain people.

His private phone calls should never have been recorded and should never have made it out into the public, that is what's wrong with this whole scenario.

Exactly.

[JoshBB]

Originally Posted by NoëlEdmonds

He shouldn't have said what he said, however there is no crime against his opinions on certain people.

His private phone calls should never have been recorded and should never have made it out into the public, that is what's wrong with this whole scenario.

It's not the point that he hasn't committed a crime against anyone, but if he were voted in as an MP he could try to pass all kinds of racist/homophobic bills.

[JoshBB]

Originally Posted by Mistletom

Exactly.

Why is everyone trying to excuse what he's said? It's despicable!

[Liam-]

Originally Posted by JollyBB

It's not the point that he hasn't committed a crime against anyone, but if he were voted in as an MP he could try to pass all kinds of racist/homophobic bills.

I'm pretty sure anyone who votes for UKIP in the first place will know what they're voting for, everyone knows what UKIP is about, i don't see why this is a big shock or a sudden revelation about what these people believe in.

[T*]

Originally Posted by JollyBB

Why is everyone trying to excuse what he's said? It's despicable!

We're not- But these may have been private views that wouldn't of influenced anything thing law wise- we'll never know. He shouldn't of had his phone calls recorded, End of.

[JoshBB]

Originally Posted by Mistletom

We're not- But these may have been private views that wouldn't of influenced anything thing law wise- we'll never know. He shouldn't of had his phone calls recorded, End of.

Private views aren't private when you are an MP. Also, not end of. You do not dictate when a debate is over, and in this case it clearly isn't.

Discuss onwards people

[T*]

Originally Posted by JollyBB

Private views aren't private when you are an MP. Also, not end of. You do not dictate when a debate is over, and in this case it clearly isn't.

Discuss onwards people

I wasn't dictating when a debate was over, dear god

[LeatherTrumpet]

Originally Posted by NoëlEdmonds

I'm pretty sure anyone who votes for UKIP in the first place will know what they're voting for, everyone knows what UKIP is about, i don't see why this is a big shock or a sudden revelation about what these people believe in.

Ukip is the party that finally got the UK talking about immigration and you should be grateful

[LeatherTrumpet]

Originally Posted by JollyBB

Private views aren't private when you are an MP. Also, not end of. You do not dictate when a debate is over, and in this case it clearly isn't.

Discuss onwards people

"Private views aren't private when you are an MP."

What on earth are you on about. This isnt a tv cop show.

[JoshBB]

Originally Posted by Scrooge

"Private views aren't private when you are an MP."

What on earth are you on about. This isnt a tv cop show.

No, views (obviously) affect how you vote on new laws. Not private at all.

Originally Posted by Mistletom

I wasn't dictating when a debate was over, dear god

"end of" implies that you're saying your viewpoint is the correct one and that we don't require further discussion.

[T*]

When I said end of, I meant that the actions of the newspaper/website in which they hacked or tapped into a private phone call shouldn't be excused. You're taking things too ****ing literally