UKIP's Steven Woolfe in hospital 'after altercation'

[Denzil_DC]

UKIP leadership hopeful Steven Woolfe was taken to hospital following an altercation at a meeting of party MEPs, interim leader Nigel Farage has said.

In a statement he said Mr Woolfe had "subsequently collapsed" and his "condition is serious".

Mr Woolfe, MEP for the North West, was taken to hospital in Strasbourg for tests.

...

In his statement, Mr Farage said: "I deeply regret that following an altercation that took place at a meeting of UKIP MEPs this morning that Steven Woolfe subsequently collapsed and was taken to hospital. His condition is serious."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37572377

[Denzil_DC]

1. More details on this "altercation" from the Telegraph:

Ukip leadership favourite Steven Woolfe in 'serious condition' after 'being punched by colleague'

The favourite to become the next Ukip leader has collapsed outside the European Parliament amid reports he was punched by a colleague.

Ukip said that Steven Woolfe collapsed outside the European Parliament following a "clear the air" meeting with colleagues this morning.

However party insiders told The Telegraph that Mr Woolfe was punched by a Ukip colleague following an altercation.

The Daily Telegraph understands that Mr Woolfe is suffering from bleeding of the brain after he was punched. One witness said he fell into a window after being punched.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/06/ukip-leadership-favourite-steven-woolfe--in-serious-condition-af/

The Times's senior political correspondent Lucy Fisher tweeted:

Lucy Fisher
?@LOS_Fisher

Ukip sources claim a party MEP punched Steven Woolfe several times following a charged meeting, as MEPs angry he was considering defection

Euroactiv's James Crisp tweeted:

James Crisp
?@JamesCrisp6

MEP followed Woolfe outside EU Parl room in Stras and punched him outside chamber. Woolfe apparently collapsed in front of ITV cameras

FWIW, Guido Fawkes is reporting that UKIP defence spokesman and MEP for Yorkshire & North Lincolnshire Mike Hookem is "unavailable for comment".

UKIP house newspaper the Express has the first photo:

BREAKING: Ukip's Steven Woolfe in serious condition after being 'PUNCHED' at party meeting

The North West MEP was rushed by ambulance to a nearby hospital after reportedly being punched in the face and falling and hitting his head at a violent get-together of the party's representatives in Strasbourg.

Mr Woolfe collapsed following the brawl at the parliament building in the French city this morning, and is said to be in a serious condition with a bleed on the brain. Today is his 49th birthday.

At one point the mass punch-up at the meeting apparently got so serious that one MEP took off his jacket and gestured angrily to Mr Woolfe, reportedly "inviting him outside".

ITV News this afternoon broadcast a shocking image which showed Mr Woolfe collapsed on the floor, with an official rushing to his side.



http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/718281/Ukip-leadership-favourite-Steven-Woolfe-collapses-European-Parliament

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Sky tweeting "life threatening"

Robert Nisbet ✔ @RobNisbetSky
I am now told by a senior UKIP source that @Steven_Woolfe condition in a Strasbourg hospital "is life threatening"
1:40 PM - 6 Oct 2016

https://twitter.com/RobNisbetSky/status/784010388673273861?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Other tweets from Robert Nisbet:: "Sources tell me that it was one clear punch to @Steven_Woolfe who banged his head on a metal bar. He collapsed 30 minutes later", "I am told @steven_woolfe complained about "losing sensation on one side of his body" before falling unconscious."

Fuck. At first I was laughing, thinking it was a black eye or something.

But Nisbet's latest tweet: "Finally some relief from the Strasbourg hospital. Senior UKIP source says: "he is now ok - waiting final scan but he conscious"" which sounds better.

[exboyfil]

2. Wow

I thought it was bad over here.

The insensitivity of the European comments on him getting punched show they are no different than us.

How did it get so bad?

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/ukip-leadership-contender-steven-woolfe-collapses-outside-the-european-parliament_uk_57f633e9e4b00df730dc2787

[Bernardo de La Paz]

4. UKIP's Farage is advising Trump. UKIP has it's own basket of deplorables. . . . . nt

[exboyfil]

5. I wonder if Farage will still attend the second debate

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/10/04/nigel_farage_will_attend_second_debate_as_trumps_guest_rise_above_the_catfight.html


Punching out a fellow Party member has got to be a debate question.

[LeftishBrit]

11. Indeed.

A lot of them are deplorable.

And it is interesting that someone supposedly representing a party called the 'UK Independence Party' is so interested in running around meeting all the far-right-wingers of Europe and America. Xenophobes of the world unite!

[geardaddy]

6. I just saw this on Facebook.

BTW there's a good Facebook page about Farage called Führage

[Denzil_DC]

7. Woolfe's own Twitter feed has the following message:

Steven Woolfe MEP
?@Steven_Woolfe 17m17 minutes ago

FULL STATEMENT: Thank you for all the kind comments and wishes, it truly means alot.

https://t.co/HkSWJF0FnT

Meanwhile, Lewis North, aide to Lib Dem MEP Catherine Bearder, tweeted:

Lewis North
?@Lewis_North90 58m58 minutes ago

Delayed at Strasbourg station. French police searching train for a UKIP MEP who allegedly hospitalised Steven Woolfe. Crazy.

[Denzil_DC]

9. As usual with breaking news,

I'd take North's tweet with a pinch of salt at the moment. A statement from UKIP (who can't really be trusted as they originally didn't reveal Woolfe's collapse was the result of a fight) and a report in the Guardian (which may be a little more trustworthy) say that the police have not been involved so far, hence there is no manhunt or (as some wilder rumours have had it) cross-country car chase in pursuit of Hookem.

All fingers are pointing at his being the MEP involved in the alleged punch-up, though.

[Denzil_DC]

8. And in case anybody's skimming social media for disgraceful comments about all this:

Alex Wickham
?@WikiGuido

Neil Hamilton says Steven Woolfe "picked a fight". What a disgraceful comment.

I mean, there's party infighting, and there's party infighting ...

[LeftishBrit]

10. Wow

Some UKIP politicians are plain thugs.

[Denzil_DC]

12. Woolfe's in hospital for a further 48 hours' observation.

Meanwhile:

UKIP MEP Mike Hookem denies assaulting Steven Woolfe

The UKIP MEP involved in an altercation with Steven Woolfe has said he "categorically did not" throw a punch at his colleague.

Mike Hookem acknowledged he and his colleague had a "scuffle" in the European Parliament but insisted that he did not hit him.

"I am innocent," he told the BBC. "I never threw a punch. I never assaulted him. I will stand my corner."

...

Thursday's incident is being investigated by UKIP and the European Parliament.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37587814

Hookem insists that only he and Woolfe know what went on during what he's dismissed as a "scuffle" (in a radio interview on BBC Radio 4 News at lunchtime, he referred to "handbags&quot . This contradicts some of the early second-hand reports from UKIP MEPs present who described a punch or punches being thrown, followed by Woolfe stumbling and hitting his head, which seems to have done the damage.

Given early UKIP attempts to cover up the fact that Woolfe's collapse was preceded by this "scuffle", it may not be easy to get to the truth.