Ukip has accused top candidates of attempting to damage the party days before the elections.

The candidates are calling for a change of leadership in Scotland.

Rich parents of Instagram are even more obnoxious than their kidsAlan Melville, lead candidate for the Lothian region in the Scottish Parliament election, said the party ‘stands on the brink of disintegration and all-out civil war’ in Scotland.


Which sounds extremely dramatic.

Melville is the most high profile party member to call for the removal of David Coburn MEP, Ukip’s only parliamentarian in Scotland, as leader north of the border.

Ukip leader Nigel Farage stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Coburn last month to dismiss calls for a coup by a group of members who were not selected for election. He described them as ‘a few disappointed people who are not in positions to win seats’. Ouch.



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David Coburn with Ukip leader Nigel Farage (Picture: CPB)

But Melville said disquiet within the party goes much higher than a few disappointed members.

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He added that a leadership change is the ‘only way to save the party’.

A Ukip spokesman said: ‘Mr Melville has had months to raise any concerns he may have but he has remained silent until four days before the election.

‘I think that’s a sign that he is trying his best to damage the party rather than air any genuine concerns, at a time that he should really be telling the public what he can do for them if they elect him.

Nigel Farage, Ukip leader (Picture: Getty)

‘He is clearly one of the very small bitter and twisted gang, which is a shame for him as he will miss out on Ukip moving forward and making the successes we will achieve this year and in future.’

West of Scotland Ukip candidate Robert Malyn quit on Sunday. It’s not clear if Ukip can remove Melville from the Lothian list so close to the election.

The Scottish party is understood to be focussing its attention on the Holyrood campaign, and is unlikely to consider whether to discipline Melville for his remarks until after the elections on Thursday.

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