‘Mighty’ new Ukip leader claims he could ‘throttle a badger’

The new leader of Ukip has managed to fall foul of animal lovers by claiming he could kill a badger with his bare hands.

Henry Bolton was the surprise winner of last month’s leadership vote, and he was recently asked if there was an initiation ceremony for the role.

Mr Bolton, who was appearing on Sam Delaney’s News Thing on Russia Today, was asked if the initiation included eating an entire English flag, arm-wrestling former England football captain Terry Butcher or hunting a badger with tuberculous across Dartmoor before killing it with your bare hands.

The new leader, laughing, said of the badger suggestion: “I could probably do that.

“I reckon I could do that… but it’s not part of the initiation into being a leader of Ukip.”

The party’s general secretary Paul Oakley said Mr Bolton’s claim to be able to break a badger’s neck with one spare hand was proof of his strength.

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Mr Oakley wrote on Twitter: “Unlike the feeble old parties, only Ukip has a leader who is mighty enough to kill a badger with his bare hands.”

Mr Bolton described the badger question as “unusual”.

He told Sky News’ Sunday: “They gave me a few options as ideas for an initiation ceremony into the leadership of Ukip.

“The one that was probably the most suitable for me was chasing a badger across Dartmoor, capturing it and then breaking its neck with one spare hand, which was a slightly unusual thing.”

Presenter Niall Paterson said it was “possibly the strangest question” he had asked.

Mr Bolton joked: “It was a little odd.”