Kellie Maloney: Don't Waste Your Vote On UKIP

Boxing promoter and former UKIP candidate Kellie Maloney has said a vote for the party next week could be a wasted one.

In an interview with Sky News, she said: "If we want to stop Labour and the SNP I think you've got to vote Tory. A vote for UKIP would be quite wasted, I believe.

"I know UKIP are not going to like hearing that, but if they're honest they would say the same things as well because they're not going to get enough seats to wield any power.

"I think they'll get four or five seats, maybe."

:: Full Coverage Of General Election 2015

:: Live Updates On The Campaign

Ms Maloney admitted that Nigel Farage is a good leader, saying "you can't knock him," but also suggested some UKIP members appeared to be damaging the party's reputation.

"There is free speech (in the party) but some of the stuff that comes out from some of the UKIP people ... I mean no normal person in the street could accept that, and I think that is their downfall," she said.

"They could offer some great things to the British public had they sat down and done it right and weeded out the bad and brought in more people through the ranks."

:: Build You Own Government With Our Shaker Maker

The businesswoman and former housemate on Celebrity Big Brother, who has just completed reassignment surgery, was UKIP's candidate for London Mayor in 2004 and spoke at the party's spring conference on behalf of transgender people.

"We are probably where the gay community was 25 years ago and we can learn a lot from them," she said.

"But it would be nice to hear political parties speak up on civil rights and gender issues."

Sky News showed excerpts of the interview to Mr Farage, who said: "There is a fear about Labour and the SNP and that's why I'm talking to you from Hartlepool because what's happened over the last couple of weeks is there is a strengthening in the UKIP polls and it's all coming from Labour.

"So the way to stop a Labour/SNP coalition is for Labour voters to switch and vote for UKIP."