A candidate for the leadership of Britain’s UKIP party is recovering in hospital after an “altercation” at a meeting of its European lawmakers.
Steven Woolfe, who on Wednesday announced his intention to lead the right-wing, anti-immigration party, collapsed after the incident at the European parliament in Strasbourg, according to interim party leader Nigel Farage.
Farage tweeted on Thursday: “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.”
UKIP said on its official Twitter feed that Woolfe had been “taken suddenly ill” and was undergoing tests in the hospital, but did not mention an altercation. Woolfe later released a statement to Britain’s Press Association saying he was “feeling brighter”.
The circumstances of the incident that left Woolf in hospital remain unclear. Raheem Kassam, a rival for the leadership of UKIP, issued a statement saying: “The details out of the EU parliament today are distressing. Our thoughts and prayers should be for Steven and his speedy recovery. Violence like this is abhorrent, and does not reflect UKIP or its members.”
A spokesman for the Strasbourg police told CNN its officers had not been called to the parliament and that no investigation had yet been launched.
UKIP has been riven by infighting since Farage stood down from the leadership, the day after Britain voted by a narrow margin in a referendum to leave the European Union.
Woolfe had intended to stand in the original ballot to replace him, but failed to submit his nomination papers on time. The successful candidate, Diane James, stood down 18 days after being elected, saying she did not have the full support of the party’s MEPs and office-holders.
Woolfe, 48, is the Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for North West England, having taken office in July 2014, and is the UKIP spokesman on migration and financial affairs.
He worked as a lawyer before entering politics, according to his website.
There are 73 UK MEPs in total, of whom 22 are from UKIP.
Fellow UKIP MEP Bill Etheridge, who represents the West Midlands, tweeted his best wishes to Woolfe.