MEP Steven Woolfe’s exclusion from Ukip ballot leads to bitter divisions within the party
Woolfe missed the nomination deadline, but insists he is the victim of a plot by leading party figures
UKIP was plunged into a bitter civil war last night after a leading candidate was blocked from replacing Nigel Farage in a move that threatens to split the party.
MEP Steven Woolfe was stopped from standing after he missed the nomination deadline by 17 minutes, but allies insist he is the victim of a stitch up and three members of the National executive committee (NEC) have quit in protest.
Mr Woolfe said he was "extremely disappointed" and dismissed the NEC as "not fit for purpose".
It has now been claimed the party is facing a "fight for survival".
The MEP was the favourite to replace Mr Farage, but was considered "ineligible" when the party announced the names of those on the ballot yesterday.
In a statement Ukip said: “By a clear majority of NEC members Steven Woolfe MEP’s application was considered to be ineligible as a result of a late submission and as such he did not meet the eligibility criteria. His membership of the Party was not in question.”
One of the party's major donors Arron Banks claimed Mr Woolfe was the victim of a "coup" by the party's only MP Douglas Carswell and Neil Hamilton.
Mr Banks tweeted the “decision to exclude Woolfe is the final straw – it’s effectively a Hamilton/Carswell coup”.
NEC members Victoria Ayling, Michael McGough and MEP Raymond Finch resigned in protest.
They said: "Rather than acting as servants of the party, many on the NEC are acting as the owners. The factionalism has seen some of the party's top talent and most loyal officers wilfully excluded.
"Steven Woolfe is a popular candidate among Ukip's members and should be permitted to represent those that wish to vote for him."
While Mr McGough suggested this episode could spell the end of Ukip.
He told BBC Radio 4's World At One programme: "To me this is a fight for survival.
"If we don't get this right, we don't get a competent leader who's comfortable with the media, the party could be finished.
"It's life or death now and that's why I've taken such a strong decision to leave the NEC.
"Because we need reform and we need it now so that we are ready to fight the next general election and the local elections next year where we're supposed to do quite well."
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Mr Farage's former chief aide Raheem Kassam also shared this view.
He told The Sun: "UKIP has shown itself to be totally amateurish, with its national executive acting like playground bullies. Unless the decision is overturned, I suspect the party has a short future ahead."
After yesterday's announcement Mr Woolfe said: "I am extremely disappointed by the Ukip NEC decision to exclude me from the party's leadership election.
"Having been a committed member of Ukip, standing for the party in multiple elections, acting as a spokesman at the highest level, I wanted to take this opportunity to stand for leader to inject my ideas, plans and passion into the party.
"Over the course of this leadership election, the NEC has proven it is not fit for purpose and it confirmed many members' fears that it is neither effective nor professional in the way it governs the party."
The exclusion of Mr Woolfe from the contest paves the way for home affairs spokesman Diane James to succeed Mr Farage, with bookies cutting her odds of winning.
MEPs Bill Etheridge and Jonathan Arnott along with Elizabeth Jones, Councillor Lisa Duffy and Phillip Broughton will all be on the ballot paper.
