Ukip official: I’m no predator

A senior Ukip official suspended over claims over sexual harassment has published a file of personal messages which he says show he was in a relationship with the high-profile election candidate concerned.

General secretary Roger Bird insisted he was not a “predator” and was confident a full party inquiry would clear his name.

The claims of impropriety were made by Natasha Bolter, who says she felt pressured to sleep with the man overseeing candidate approvals in order to further her potential career in the eurosceptic outfit.

Ms Bolter — who defected from Labour in a blaze of publicity and was introduced on stage at this year’s Ukip conference by Mr Bird — said although he propositioned her, he was a “gentleman” when she declined.

Mr Bird, who is single, insists however that they enjoyed a six-week consensual, sexual relationship that began a week after she had been approved to join the approved candidates list.

The former Conservative councillor, who quit the Tories in 2009 and switched to the eurosceptic party the following year, released part of what he said was a large collection of emails, texts and photographs which backed his side of the story.

He said the liaison began “some time after” the candidate assessment and was ended by him on November 2.

Among the messages he said were received from Ms Bolter, one read: “But I love u and miss u and think u r sort of perfect...”

Ms Bolter, who has withdrawn from the race to contest the key South Basildon seat in Essex, agreed that she had sent a series of messages but told BBC2’s Newsnight: “None of them changes my story.”

“I did not sleep with Roger Bird, end of,” she said.