UKIP leadership candidate apologises for claiming a “homosexual donkey raped” his horse: WATCH
By Josh Lee
UKIP leadership hopeful John Rees-Evans has said it was a “mistake” when he claimed a “homosexual donkey” tried to rape his horse in 2015.
“It was a bit of playful banter with a mischievous activist,” he explained to BBC’s Daily Politics show today (October 24) as he announced his bid for the top job in the political party . “I’m sorry if i offended anyone in doing that.”
In 2015, when Rees-Evans was running for the Cardiff South and Penarth parliamentary seat, he was filmed being asked if he felt it was right that “some homosexuals prefer sex with animals”.
He replied with: “Actually, I’ve witnessed that,” Rees-Evans said. “I’ve got a horse and it was there in the field. And a donkey came up, which was male, and I’m afraid tried to rape my horse.”
The Labour candidate that beat out Rees-Evans spoke to The Huffington Post at the time, saying: “There’s nothing that’s playful or banter about homophobia – not least when you are standing against three openly gay candidates.
“In addition to his infamous and bizarre public comments about the donkey during the last election – he also sent letters to constituents claiming I was part of an ‘attack on family values’ for supporting equal marriage.”
In the UKIP candidates interview today he went on to attack the host by saying: “It’s really interesting what you are doing because I’m trying to tell you my serious vision for UKIP and you keep trivialising it.
“I would be so appreciative if you could please just understand the concept I am trying to communicate with your viewers and that is, according to the plan I have for UKIP, UKIP is going to grow.”
Rees-Evans is in the running with Paul Nutgall, Suzanne Evans and Raheem Kassam.