Ukip Leadership Hopeful "Implodes" Over Racism And Gay Rights

1 November 2016, 17:35 | Updated: 1 November 2016, 18:39

"Do you even know what racist means?" UKIP leadership candidate Jonathan Rees-Evans gets a severe grilling by Iain Dale in a moment that lots of commentators have called "car crash radio".

Iain Dale took Rees-Evans to task about over his support for another UKIP member’s controversial views on homosexuality, including comments that "gay rights stormtroopers were annexing our culture".

Iain: "Do you think that's something that a Ukip candidate should be saying?"

Rees-Evans: "Do you know it's interesting. My campaign manager, who happens to identify himself as gay, would say pretty much the same thing."

Iain: "Sorry, he identifies himself as gay? What does that even mean?"

Rees-Evans answered: "I don't know, I'm not a scientist.

"Sorry, do you want me to answer the question or do you want a semantical debate?"

From there the exchange moved on to racism, with a comment that sparked a big reaction on Twitter as Rees-Evans said: "It is entirely acceptable for a Ukip candidate to have any views that he likes.

"Racist views?" asked Iain.

"First, I'd need you to define what you mean by racist," replied the man who wants to replace Diane James, who took over from Nigel Farage earlier this year before quitting.

Iain's answer for that? "I think we all know what racist means. If you really need that defined for you, I'm not sure you should be in that chair!"