Ukip leader Henry Bolton says he may 'revive romance' with Jo Marney 'if it doesn't damage the party'

Under-fire Ukip leader Henry Bolton has hinted that he get back with former girlfriend Jo Marney – as long as it doesn’t damage the party.

Mr Bolton appeared on Good Morning Britain the day after he refused to quit despite a spate of Ukip frontbenchers resigning out of protest at his leadership.

When questioned over whether he would ever “revive his romance” with Ms Marney, who made racist comments about Prince Harry’s fiancee Meghan Markle and black people, Mr Bolton appeared unrepentant.

In a fiery exchange, he answered: “If it does not damage the party.

“The important question facing this country is not what has happened to somebody who has resigned from the party.

“It’s not what has happpened some years ago in terms of messages private one to one.

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“The most imprtant question here is what happens to the country going foward.”

Mr Bolton, 54, also told the BBC that he and Ms Marney could “potentially get back together”.

He added: “The romantic side of the relationship is on hold. It won’t go any further, if indeed that is a problem for the party.

“Who knows what the future contains? Most probably it will not come back together.”

Ms Marney took to Twitter to rally support for her former boyfriend, who left wife Tatiana, 42, to date the former glamour model.

Defending Mr Bolton by referring to the private life of former Ukip leader Nigel Farage, she responded to a tweet saying: “Nigel split up with 2 wives. Both had children.

“You’re suggesting that a leader should be forced to remain in a relationship he doesn’t want to be in? Has he no right to happiness?”

Ms Marney also commented: “This isn’t America. He’s the politician not me. As it stands, we are not a couple in any case. Henry is probably the most qualified leader in Britain with a truly phenomenal CV.”

In another tweet, Ms Marney, who claims “the entire world’s media” wants to interview her, said: “People split up with their wives every single day. UKIP is not a church it’s a political party.”

The intervention comes after Ukip’s ruling national executive committee backed a motion of no confidence in Mr Bolton on Sunday.

Mr Bolton ended his romantic relationship with Ms Marney, 25, after the controversy broke, but has said the pair are “still in touch”.

He refused to quit as party leader, defiantly stating that Ukip instead had to “drain the swamp” by removing those in the party who were responsible for “factional in-fighting”.

Mr Farage backed the current Ukip leader, saying he has “despaired” at the party’s NEC and decision-making processes, which are run by “volunteers” with no political experience, and suggested Mr Bolton’s approach could give Ukip a “lifeline” if it leads to reform.

He added: I am not saying that I support Henry Bolton. What I do support is him saying to the NEC ‘I’m not going to take your judgment, I will move this on to a full extraordinary general meeting of the Ukip membership’. And that gives us a huge opportunity.

“If there was an EGM tomorrow Henry Bolton would lose it very heavily indeed. But he has a month in which to make his case.

“If he is able in the space of a month to put together a new constitution, and a new management structure for the party that shows that the leader needs to be able to lead and not be held back by a failed organisation he might just win the day.

“This extraordinary general meeting is not actually any more about Henry Bolton, it’s about ‘can Ukip survive as a party’.”