2021 UK Independence Party leadership election

2021 UK Independence Party leadership election

9–16 October 2021
Turnout	20.7%
Candidate Neil Hamilton John Poynton Percentage 78.9% 21.1% Popular vote 498 133
Leader before election Neil Hamilton (interim); previously Freddy Vachha Leader after election Neil Hamilton

The 2021 UK Independence Party leadership election took place following the suspension on 12 September 2020 of leader Freddy Vachha from the UK Independence Party, with Neil Hamilton being elected to lead the party.^[1]

Background

On 12 September 2020, Freddy Vaccha was suspended from the party and therefore the leadership after complaints of bullying and harassment,^[2] with Senedd (Welsh Parliament) member and former MP Neil Hamilton appointed as interim leader.

Candidates

Candidate	Past and present political roles
Neil Hamilton[3]	Member of Parliament for Tatton (1983–1997) Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs (1992–1994) Deputy Chair of the UK Independence Party (2014–2016) Member of the Senedd for Mid & West Wales (2016–2021) Leader of UKIP Wales (2016–)
John Poynton[3]

Result

Candidate		Votes	%
	Y Neil Hamilton	498		78.9
	John Poynton	133		21.1
Total		631	Turnout	20.7%

References

1. "UKIP: Ex-Conservative minister Neil Hamilton elected party leader". BBC News. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
2. "Neil Hamilton Appointed Interim Leader of UKIP". UKIP. 14 September 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
3. "2021 NEC and Leadership Election - The Results!". UKIP. Retrieved 20 March 2022.