Ukip leadership hopeful Steven Woolfe 'happy' as he recovers in hospital after 'bust-up at party meeting of MEPs'

Hatty Collier6 October 2016
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Ukip leadership frontrunner Steven Woolfe says he is as 'happy and smiley as ever' as he recovers in hospital after his collapse at the European Parliament.

Mr Woolfe was rushed to hospital on Thursday after allegedly being punched during an altercation following a meeting of Ukip MEPs.

He was initially said to be in a serious condition with fears that he was suffering bleeding on his brain, but doctors have carried out a CT scan that discovered no sign of a blood clot.

Mr Woolfe released a statement this afternoon saying he was “looking well” but would be kept in hospital overnight as a precaution.

"At the moment I am feeling brighter, happier, and smiling as ever. As a precaution, I am being kept in overnight awaiting secondary tests to make sure everything in fine," he said in a statement.

"I would like everyone to know that the parliamentary staff, the Ukip MEPs with me and hospital staff have been brilliant. Their care has been exceptional.

"I am sitting up, and said to be looking well. The only consequence at the moment is a bit of numbness on the left hand side of my face."

In his statement he made no reference to the reported altercation.

The Ukip MEP collapsed after a meeting in Strasbourg
ITV

A spokeswoman for French national police said that the incident had not been reported to them and they had no current plans to investigate.

She added that if someone were to ring and make it complaint then officers would follow up the matter.

Paramedics treat Mr Woolfe
ITV News

The Evening Standard understands that the fight happened outside the meeting of 22 Ukip MEPs where Mr Woolfe had been arguing with another MEP.

Afterwards Mr Woolfe told a colleague he was “all right” but that it had been “a difficult meeting”.

His last words to the colleague were: “I’m off to vote.”

Initially a UKIP spokesman claimed that Mr Woolfe had been “taken suddenly ill” but acting leader Nigel Farage then made a statement revealing that an argument had taken place.

He 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.”

Later Mr Farage said he had spoken to Steven Woolfe on the phone and he is “mildly better.”

Steven Woolfe with Nigel Farage
Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images

A spokeswoman for the European Parliament confirmed Mr Woolfe had collapsed in the main building in Strasbourg, and said that an investigation into the circumstances was now under way.

Concern about his condition was raised when a rival leadership candidate, Raheem Kassam, tweeted that he had cancelled a TV interview “out of respect” for Mr Woolfe.

“I have cancelled my appearance on BBC @daily_politics out of respect to @Steven_Woolfe who is currently being treated after collapsing.”

Politicians from all parties offered their support to Mr Woolfe as news that he had been taken ill spread.

Mr Woolfe has been named as hot favourite to succeed Diane James as leader of the party which has been riven with in-fighting.

He announced only yesterday he would stand for the leadership and was quickly endorsed by the party’s key donor Arron Banks.

However he admitted that had considered joining the Conservatives after becoming “enthused” by the start of Theresa May’s premiership.

Mr Woolfe, from Moss Side in Manchester, became MEP for North West England in July 2014.

He also acts as Ukip spokesman for Migration and Financial Affairs and sits on the EU Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs committee.

Mr Woolfe worked as a lawyer before entering politics in 2010, becoming one of Mr Farage’s senior spokesmen when he initially ran for the leadership.

He ran to become MP for Stockport last year but finished third behind Labour’s Ann Coffey, who won the seat, and Daniel Hamilton of the Tories.

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