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Home / World

British politician dumps girlfriend over racist Meghan Markle comment

NZ Herald
15 Jan, 2018 07:29 AM3 mins to read

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Ukip leader Henry Bolton, 54, has ditched his glamour model lover Jo Marney, 25. Photo / Supplied

Ukip leader Henry Bolton, 54, has ditched his glamour model lover Jo Marney, 25. Photo / Supplied

British politician Henry Bolton has ditched his glamour model girlfriend after news broke she had joked online about sexual abuse of babies and sent racist texts about Meghan Markle.

The Ukip leader was told to either dump his 25-year-old girlfriend Jo Marney or go, since the Mail Online revealed he had left his third wife for the model and Ukip member.

Today, on Good Morning Britain he revealed he dumped Marney last night, but refused to resign.

He told the show: "I don't defend these comments whatsoever and indeed Jo has been suspended. It's against the constitution of the party to be racist in any way.

"As of last night, the romantic part of our relationship has ended. We had that conversation last night when I returned from Yorkshire. The conversation will remain private, but it was a long and upsetting conversation for both of us."

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Ukip leader Henry Bolton, 54, has ditched his glamour model lover Jo Marney, 25. Photo / Supplied
Ukip leader Henry Bolton, 54, has ditched his glamour model lover Jo Marney, 25. Photo / Supplied

Marney was suspended from the party over a series of racist messages in which she branded black people as "ugly" and warned that Meghan Markle's genes would "taint our royal family".

The Mail Online obtained footage showing Bolton saying "No" when he was asked if he would stand down as leader.

Meghan Markle, fiancee of Prince Harry. Photo / AP
Meghan Markle, fiancee of Prince Harry. Photo / AP

The Mail today revealed Marney has plumbed even further depths with horrific messages in which she joked with a friend about raping a baby. The publication chose not to print the distressing exchange.

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Ukip last night refused to comment on them, but a friend of Marney's claimed they had been taken out of context and had been "part of an outrage competition".

It comes as the under-fire model was revealed to have referred to "Eastern European s****" who would "f*** a mangey dog for about 10 quid and a Big Mac" during an argument on Twitter.

Jo Marney is a UK glamour model and her relationship with the politician caused controversy from the outset. Photo / Twitter
Jo Marney is a UK glamour model and her relationship with the politician caused controversy from the outset. Photo / Twitter

She also told the man she was ranting at that he would "probably be raped by the wonderful 'refugees' running around Germany blowing things up and raping everyone" if he were a woman.

According to The Sun, Marney then said: "If I'm racist I don't give a f***."

Discover more

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Body language expert reveals why Meghan touches her hair

12 Jan 07:49 PM
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What Meghan and Prince Harry do all day

13 Jan 12:30 AM
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'Meghan's seed will taint our Royal Family'

13 Jan 11:19 PM
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Girlfriend or us: leader's choice over racist Meghan Markle comments

14 Jan 09:03 PM

Earlier yesterday Ukip MEP Bill Etheridge had urged Bolton to quit ahead of a planned vote of confidence due to be held by Ukip's national executive committee on Sunday.

He said: "Go now. Go quietly and leave us to deal with what's left." In a video posted on Facebook, he added: "It appears that we are now seeing Ukip resources, which are at best scant, being used to defend Henry's private life."

He said he would step down as Ukip's shadow sports minister if Bolton – who was elected leader last September as the party's fifth leader in 16 months – 'insists on prolonging this agony'.

Marney apologised for the racist messages yesterday, saying: "The opinions I expressed were deliberately exaggerated in order to make a point and have, to an extent, been taken out of context. Yet I fully recognise the offence they have caused.

"I'm absolutely devastated by the messages that I've sent and the distress that I've caused anyone by those messages. They were unnecessary, they were reckless, they were overly exaggerated purely for effect.

"They were never intended to be put in the public domain and I'd like to take this opportunity to offer my sincere and deepest apologies to anyone I've hurt and for the distress and embarrassment I've caused my family, friends and the party."

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