2018 UKIP Wales leadership election

The 2018 UKIP Wales leadership election was a leadership election to determine the UK Independence Party's next leader in the National Assembly for Wales.[1] The election was held from 18 June to 10 August 2018.[2] The approximately 900 members of the party in Wales were eligible to vote in the election.[3]

2018 UKIP Welsh Assembly leadership election
18 June – 10 August 2018
 
Candidate Gareth Bennett Neil Hamilton Caroline Jones
First round Unknown Unknown 130
Second round 269 193 Eliminated
Leader before election

Caroline Jones

 Elected Leader

Gareth Bennett

After the 2016 Welsh Assembly election, Neil Hamilton was elected leader of the UK Independence Party group in the Assembly, replacing Nathan Gill. Hamilton had been supported by four AMs, whilst Gill had been supported by three.[4]

In May 2018, Caroline Jones replaced Hamilton after a majority vote in the then five-strong Assembly group.[5]

In June 2018, national deputy party leader Mike Hookem informed the group that an election would be held for the leadership of the Assembly group.[6]

Gareth Bennett won the UKIP Welsh Assembly leadership election on 10 August 2018.[2] Hamilton remained as Leader of the UK Independence Party in Wales, with Bennett serving as Leader of UKIP in the Welsh Assembly.

Campaign

The party increased the franchise for the election, changing to a twenty-eight-day cutoff instead of the originally planned for a six-month cut-off. This increased the number of eligible voters by about 300 to "just short of 900".[3] The vote had been scheduled to conclude by the end of July, but the count was moved to 10 August following issues printing ballots.[3]

Bennett's two main policy planks were his campaign to abolish the Welsh Assembly itself (he called for a referendum on the issue); and his opposition to the Welsh Government's Welsh language policies.[7]

Results

514 of the party's 876 members voted. Caroline Jones was eliminated in the first round with 130 votes. Gareth Bennett went on to win the second round, with 269 votes to Neil Hamilton's 193.[8]

See also

References
  1. "UKIP members to be balloted on Welsh assembly leader". BBC News. 18 June 2018. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  2. "UKIP Wales members elect Gareth Bennett as assembly leader". BBC News. 10 August 2018. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  3. Deans, David (2 August 2018). "Apology after 300 new UKIP members get Senedd leadership vote". BBC News. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  4. "UKIP's Farage attacks Hamilton's leadership victory". BBC News. 10 May 2016. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  5. "Neil Hamilton ousted as UKIP leader in Welsh Assembly". BBC News. 17 May 2018. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  6. "Neil Hamilton in bid to win back UKIP Senedd leader job". BBC News. 19 June 2018. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  7. "Gareth Bennett to run for UKIP assembly group leadership". BBC News. 26 June 2018. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  8. "Gareth Bennett wins UKIP Welsh Assembly Group Leadership Election". UKIP. 10 August 2018. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
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