Henry Bolton Is Not Resigning As Ukip Leader And Says It’s Time To ‘Drain The Swamp’
Henry Bolton has vowed to fight on as Ukip leader despite a vote of no confidence from his party’s ruling committee and wave of frontbench resignations.

The former soldier revealed this afternoon he would stay on in the top job and vowed to “drain the swamp” in the party.

Bolton was facing pressure to quit following revelations his now ex-girlfriend made racist comments about Prince Harry’s fiancee Meghan Markle.

Yet despite frontbench figures resigning their posts in protest at his leadership – including deputy leader Margot Parker – Bolton today announced he would not be going.

In a statement this afternoon, Bolton said: “I respect the next steps in the constitutional process and will therefore not be resigning as Party leader.

“I repeat: I shall not be resigning as Party leader.”

He then attacked Ukip’s National Executive Committee, and said he had urged them not to push through with a vote of no confidence as it would led to a “financial and political cost” to the party.

He claimed the NEC is “is unfit for purpose” and has “severely handicapped the Party’s progress and political delivery for some years, as all recent UKIP leaders will attest.”

Bolton went on: “It has not only lost the confidence of me as the Party leader in its ability to act objectively as the Party’s governing body, it has also lost the confidence of a large proportion of the membership.

“The NEC requires significant and urgent reform. To that end, again during the coming weeks, I shall be proposing a new Party constitution, with a newly constituted and reformed NEC. Likewise, it is now time to put an end to the factional in-fighting within the Party and to remove those who have been a part of that.

“In a single Phrase, it is time to ‘Drain the Swamp’.”

Bolton then claimed that despite his beleaguered leadership, he would try to bring together the various Brexit-backing campaigns to try to put pressure on Theresa May’s Government during its negotiations with the EU.

He said: ’During the next four weeks I shall be calling for the coordination and mobilisation of all Leave campaigns, to ensure that the government delivers full independence from the European Union in all areas of government and administration and I shall be calling for the Party itself to mobilise to support this agenda.

“This is the most pressing matter facing our country and I am determined not to allow the NEC to distract the Party away from participating forcefully in the Independence debate.”

Bolton was given a vote of no-confidence by the NEC during a two and a half hour meeting on Sunday.

The under-fire leader was offered the chance resign with dignity, but decided to fight on – a decision he repeated today.

Since yesterday’s developments, more of Ukip’s frontbench have resigned in protest at Bolton’s leadership, including deputy leader Margot Parker and Education spokesman David Kurten.

Speaking to HuffPost UK, a senior source with intimate knowledge of Sunday’s NEC meeting said: “The man’s a cock-led conceited ass.”

They added: “We may well have to expel him from the party after the EGM.”

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/henry-bolton-ukip-not-resigns_uk_5a660aace4b002283004fee1

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: January 22, 2018

DANGEROUS #TRUMPSHUTDOWN: “The government shutdown is the result of a failure of leadership by Donald Trump and Mike Pence.  They kicked the can down the road on every deadline over the past year, from appropriations to children’s health, disaster relief to Dreamers. After weeks of racist and irresponsible rhetoric, our nation is now closed for business to those who need its support most,” said David Stacy, HRC’s Government Affairs Director. “It’s wrong to pit Dreamers against children’s health coverage. We can and should protect the 800,000 young people who could be forced to leave the only country they’ve ever known, and vital health care for vulnerable children.” More from HRC.

• And what was Trump doing during the shutdown? Oh, just tweeting insults and continuing his attacks on women’s and LGBTQ health. More from NPR.
• And Pence? He was in Egypt, where he remained silent about the country’s anti-LGBTQ crackdown. More from Michael K. Lavers (@mklavers81) in The Washington Blade.

HISTORIC — COUNTLESS ADVOCATES MARCH ON ANNIVERSARY OF WOMEN’S MARCH: The #TrumpShutdown marked the one-year anniversary of the disastrous Trump-Pence administration — but there was one upside: Yesterday was also the one-year anniversary of the historic Women’s March, and hundreds of thousands of advocates across the nation  convened again in solidarity over the weekend to resist — and register. #PowerToThePolls

.@HRC stands in solidarity with those joining @womensmarch events from coast to coast this weekend. Unsure if you’re registered to vote? @HRC has you covered. #PowerToThePolls Make sure you’re registered! �� #WomensMarch2018 #WomensMarch t.co/qylBC7pPYk pic.twitter.com/QWnW0znRrj

— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) January 21, 2018

MORNING MUST READ — IT’S UP TO THE PENTAGON TO SET THINGS RIGHT FOR TRANS SERVICE MEMBERS: In a powerhouse editorial, WaPo writes: “[T]he Defense Department already knows that allowing military service by openly transgender personnel would have a great number of benefits and negligible costs. A 2016 study by the Rand Corp. found just that — one more reason Mr. Trump’s ban was nonsensical. If Mr. Mattis’s February review is fair, he will find that there’s no reason to prevent transgender men and women from joining and serving. The president’s order has thrown the lives of many current and would-be service members into needless turmoil because of their gender identity. The Pentagon should take this opportunity to set things right.” More from The Washington Post.

UTAH TO ADDRESS ALARMING SPIKE IN YOUTH SUICIDE: Utah Gov. Gary Herbert has convened a task force to address the crisis among youth — and especially LGBTQ youth. “In far too many corners of this country, LGBTQ youth are bullied and harassed to the brink of suicide at school, in their communities, and even around their own dinner tables,” said HRC President Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin). “The only way we will end this epidemic of teen suicide is for leaders from all sectors — public and private — to take a firm stand against homophobia, transphobia, neglect, and rejection.” Members include Ronald A. Rasband of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Gail Miller, owner of the NBA’s Utah Jazz; and Troy Williams, executive director of Equality Utah. More from the AP and HRC.

•  Imagine Dragons singer Dan Reynolds, who is openly gay, premiered his documentary “Believer” about wrestling with his  Mormon faith Saturday at the Sundance Film Festival. Read more at the Salt Lake City Tribune.

MUST WATCH MONDAY — ONE YEAR LATER, HRC VOWS TO KEEP TURNING RESISTANCE INTO ACTION: Over the last year, the Trump-Pence administration has systematically targeted the LGBTQ community for discrimination through more than 40 actions, from attempting to ban qualified transgender Americans from service in the military, to backing anti-LGBTQ forces at the Supreme Court seeking a sweeping ‘license to discriminate.’ HRC responded by immediately utilizing its talented team of policy and legal experts and establishing a 10-person Trump War Room, which has worked around the clock to hold the Trump-Pence Administration accountable and fight back against their dangerous nominees and proposals. More from HRC.

WASHINGTON STATE SENATE VOTES TO PROTECT YOUTH FROM SO-CALLED “CONVERSION THERAPY”: “No child should ever be subjected to the dangerous and barbaric practice of conversion therapy. It amounts to nothing more than child abuse, said HRC National Field Director Marty Rouse. “It is crucial that the Washington House of Representatives quickly pass the measure.” More from HRC.

OPENLY GAY SKIER GUS KENWORTHY MAKES U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM:

Congrats, @GusKenworthy! We know you’ll represent #TeamUSA well at the Olympics. �� ����

Gus received the @HRC Visibility Award last year for using his sport to further #LGBTQ equality and visibility in athletics: t.co/cBgPsRcdv2 t.co/TlXBrz7Hq8

— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) January 22, 2018

SAG AWARDS HONOR LGBTQ, ALLIED ACTORS AND STORIES: The awards, hosted by HRC supporter Kristen Bell, honored supporter Allison Janney for her role in I, Tonya and gave Morgan Freeman its Lifetime Achievement award. More from CNN.

MEET THE NEXT GENERATION OF LGBTQ LEADERS: The HRC Foundation’s Youth Well-Being Project announces the 2018 class of HRC Youth Ambassadors: Zimar Batista, Sean Bender-Prouty, Roddy Biggs, Javier Cifuentes Monzón, Alex Cooper, Makayla Humphrey, Adriana Ibanez, Sameer Jha, Justin Jones, Brendan Jordan, Jacob Kanter, Jonathan Leggette, Zoey Luna, Zachary Mallory, Miles Sanchez, Lucas Segal and Tyler Yun. Read more about them at HRC.

SEX EDUCATION IS FAILING LGBTQ WOMEN: HRC’s own research shows that youth report receiving either limited sex education that focuses on heterosexual relationships between cisgender people, or no sex education whatsoever. More from Newsweek.

HRC MOURNS THE LOSS OF ACTIVIST AND ORGANIZER PAUL BOOTH: Booth passed away last Wednesday. More from The New York Times.

Paul Booth made this nation a more just and fair place for countless people. Such a sad loss. My heart goes out to Paul’s wife Heather, his family, and many friends. t.co/tc3v4MD6fO

— Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) January 19, 2018

20 YEARS AND COUNTING — LGBTQ ADVOCATES IN MISSOURI CONTINUE WORK TO ADD PROTECTIONS TO MISSOURI HUMAN RIGHTS ACT: The St. Louis-based LGBTQ group, PROMO, is advocating for gender identity and sexual orientation to be added to the state’s Human Rights Act. More from KMOV.

READING RAINBOW

Gay City News remembers New York City Council Member Danny Dromm’s mother, Audrey Gallagher, a long-time equality advocate, who recently died; The World Economic Forum shares the unique struggles of LGBTQ refugees; The New York Times reports on the wedding of Captains Daniel Hall and Vincent Franchino, both Apache helicopter pilots

An inspiring story of love and progress. Congratulations to Captains Hall and Franchino! t.co/ikRqPtAY7z

— Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) January 21, 2018

www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-tipsheet-january-22-2018?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Report: Anti-LGBT Homicides Nearly Double in 2017

Hate-related homicides of LGBT people were up 86 percent from 2016, and political rhetoric is partly to blame, says a new report.

www.advocate.com/crime/2018/1/22/report-anti-lgbt-homicides-nearly-double-2017

Police Investigating String of Grindr Sex Assaults and Robberies as Hate Crimes in Dallas

A string of robberies and at least one sexual assault in Dallas tied to the gay social app Grindr are being investigated as hate crimes, police report, NBC DFW reports:

The department is investigating a series of assaults that happened in December where victims were lured to an apartment where they were robbed and beaten. The robberies and assaults have all involved Grindr, a smartphone app for gay men to meet other men in the area.

Community policing group “Take Back Oak Lawn” is reminding community members to be vigilant. The organization started after a similar string of assaults in the Oak Lawn area three years ago.

“We truly believe this is not a direct result of just an app or just a website, you know, or just a bar or just a place you went. This affects, unfortunately, people from all walks of life. It’s very sad to see in this scenario that people are being targeted for their sexual orientation, and that’s what makes this very heinous to us,” said founding member Lee Dougherty.

The Dallas Morning News says there were seven victims in December and more suspects are believed to be at large, though one man, a 17-year-old,  is in custody.

Police said the victims were robbed and beaten. One was sexually assaulted.

Grindr is a dating app geared toward the gay community, and police said the suspect in the December crimes used the app to find victims.

“After further investigation one of the robberies has been reclassified to a sexual assault offense,” police said Saturday. “There are indications that the offenses were motivated on the perceived sexual orientation of the victim and are being considered hate crimes.”

Watch a report from NBC Dallas:

The post Police Investigating String of Grindr Sex Assaults and Robberies as Hate Crimes in Dallas appeared first on Towleroad.

Police Investigating String of Grindr Sex Assaults and Robberies as Hate Crimes in Dallas

Finsbury Park Attack: Darren Osborne ‘Drove Into Muslim Worshippers After Raging About Terror And Grooming’

A man accused of carrying out an attack in Finsbury Park “decided to take matters into his own hands” after growing angry at a rise in terrorism and the Rotherham child exploitation scandal, a court has heard.

Darren Osborne, 48, allegedly mowed down Makram Ali, 51, and nine other people on a crowded pavement with a heavy Luton box van near two mosques in north London shortly after 12.15am on 19 June last year.

The area was busy with worshippers attending Ramadan night prayers at the time, the jury at Woolwich Crown Court was told.