Leader of Britain's UKIP faces calls to quit over girlfriend's remarks
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The leader of Britain's anti-EU, anti-immigration UK Independence Party (UKIP) faced calls on Sunday to stand down after his girlfriend reportedly made racist remarks about Prince Harry's fiancee Meghan Markle.
Last year, Henry Bolton was the fourth leader in a year to be appointed to the helm of UKIP, a party which helped bring about a Brexit vote. He hit the tabloid newspapers over Christmas when they reported that he had left his wife for 25-year-old model and UKIP member Jo Marney.
Henry Bolton hit the headlines last week when it emerged he left his wife Tatiana Smurova, mother of his two children, over Christmas to be with Jo Marney, who he is pictured with. /Photo from Daily Mail

Henry Bolton hit the headlines last week when it emerged he left his wife Tatiana Smurova, mother of his two children, over Christmas to be with Jo Marney, who he is pictured with. /Photo from Daily Mail

The Mail on Sunday published a series of messages sent by Jo Marney to a friend in which she made offensive comments about Markle and black people. The newspaper also published an apology from Marney, who said her comments had been "taken out of context."
According to the tabloid, Marney wrote messages to a friend complaining that Markle, an American actress of mixed race who is due to marry Harry in May, would "taint our royal family" with her "seed."
"Next will be a Muslim PM (prime minister). And a black king," she was reported to have written.
In a statement, Marney said her remarks were "deliberately exaggerated to make a point" and were taken out of context, but "I fully recognize the offense they have caused."
Britain’s Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle pose for photographers during a photocall in the grounds of Kensington Palace in London, Nov. 27, 2017. /AP Photo‍

Britain’s Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle pose for photographers during a photocall in the grounds of Kensington Palace in London, Nov. 27, 2017. /AP Photo‍

UKIP's Bill Etheridge, a member of the European Parliament, said: "The time has come for Henry Bolton to resign as leader of UKIP. He must go, he must go quickly, he must go as quietly as possible."
"It appears to me that the lack of experience in politics from Henry has got the better of him," he said in a video statement, describing the last few months as "hell" for the party.
Peter Whittle, UKIP's member of the London Assembly, also criticized the remarks, saying they were "disgraceful."
"This person should not just be suspended from @UKIP but expelled altogether," he said on Twitter.
Led by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, UKIP won nearly four million votes in 2015, 12.6 percent of those cast, on its anti-EU platform, putting it at the forefront of British politics even though it managed to win one seat in parliament.
But its fortunes have sunk since, hurt by internal fights over its future direction. At last year's election in June, UKIP won 1.8 of the vote.
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Source(s): AFP ,Reuters