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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Neil Hamilton to challenge for UKIP assembly leadership | Neil Hamilton to challenge for UKIP assembly leadership |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Former Tory MP Neil Hamilton is to challenge Nathan Gill for the post of UKIP assembly group leader when the party's AMs meet on Tuesday. | Former Tory MP Neil Hamilton is to challenge Nathan Gill for the post of UKIP assembly group leader when the party's AMs meet on Tuesday. |
| Mr Gill was appointed the party's leader in Wales by Nigel Farage in 2014. | Mr Gill was appointed the party's leader in Wales by Nigel Farage in 2014. |
| The group is expected to vote on who will lead it in the assembly - both sides claim to have the numbers to win. | The group is expected to vote on who will lead it in the assembly - both sides claim to have the numbers to win. |
| Mr Gill told an election debate in April that he probably would not have chosen Mr Hamilton as a UKIP candidate. | Mr Gill told an election debate in April that he probably would not have chosen Mr Hamilton as a UKIP candidate. |
| That led Mr Hamilton's wife, Christine, to dub the UKIP Wales leader a "third-rate general". | That led Mr Hamilton's wife, Christine, to dub the UKIP Wales leader a "third-rate general". |
| Mr Hamilton told the BBC's Daily Politics: "UKIP wouldn't be UKIP if there weren't internal challenges. | |
| "It's not a case of mountain a challenge against Nathan Gill. We haven't had any assembly members in the past. | "It's not a case of mountain a challenge against Nathan Gill. We haven't had any assembly members in the past. |
| "We have to meet together, form a group and elect a leader of it." | "We have to meet together, form a group and elect a leader of it." |
| Mr Hamilton said the decision taken on the group leadership would not affect Mr Gill's separate position as leader of UKIP in Wales. | Mr Hamilton said the decision taken on the group leadership would not affect Mr Gill's separate position as leader of UKIP in Wales. |
| A source close to Mr Hamilton said the AM for Mid and West Wales will have enough support to win the contest. | A source close to Mr Hamilton said the AM for Mid and West Wales will have enough support to win the contest. |
| But David Rowlands, UKIP Wales chairman and South Wales East AM, said he would support Mr Gill and said he believed there were two others that would back him as well - enough for Mr Gill to win. | But David Rowlands, UKIP Wales chairman and South Wales East AM, said he would support Mr Gill and said he believed there were two others that would back him as well - enough for Mr Gill to win. |
| Mr Rowlands told BBC Radio Wales: "I don't feel this is the time we should be changing the leadership. | Mr Rowlands told BBC Radio Wales: "I don't feel this is the time we should be changing the leadership. |
| "We have no reason to do that. I would be very surprised if any other party would be trying to choose a different leader under these circumstances." | "We have no reason to do that. I would be very surprised if any other party would be trying to choose a different leader under these circumstances." |
| Mr Gill confirmed some time ago that a leadership election would take place once the party had a group of AMs. | Mr Gill confirmed some time ago that a leadership election would take place once the party had a group of AMs. |
| Some in UKIP feel the leader should be elected via a membership vote, rather than a group vote. | Some in UKIP feel the leader should be elected via a membership vote, rather than a group vote. |
| UKIP won its first ever AMs in the 5 May assembly election, claiming seven seats. | UKIP won its first ever AMs in the 5 May assembly election, claiming seven seats. |
| The meeting is to take place early afternoon. | The meeting is to take place early afternoon. |