Nigel Farage attempting to depose current UKIP leader

Gerard Batten your days are numbered

Nigel Farage today vowed to depose UKIP leader Gerard Batten after the appointment of Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, as an adviser on grooming gangs and prison. Batten said "people respect" the former leader of the EDL, but Farage said on Friday morning the decision meant Batten was not fit to be leader. Batten replaced Henry Bolton as UKIP's frontman in February, he holds extreme views on Islam. He has called the religion a "death cult" and suggested Muslims in Britain should be asked to sign a document renouncing elements of the Qu'ran.   He said: "I have appointed Tommy Robinson to be a personal special adviser on two subjects which he has great knowledge. It is not necessary for him to be a party member in order to assist me in this role. I am looking forward to working with him." Speaking on Radio 4's Today show Nigel Farage said: "I'm appalled. "Gerard Batten has got this sort of fixation with Tommy Robison, and discussing Islam, and dragging UKIP into the direction of effectively being a street activist party. "I will be writing to the National Executive Committee of the party today and urging we have a vote of no confidence in Gerard Batten as leader, that we get rid of him. "We will have one last go at getting rid of somebody who as leader is dragging us in a shameful direction. "I'm going to fight, try and save it, but if it continues in this direction, electorally it is finished."