Ukip's Harrogate Chairman Quits after Advocating Down's Syndrome Babies Abortion

A member of the UK Independence Party has resigned after advocating in personal correspondence with a Conservative MP that foetuses with Down's syndrome should be aborted.

John Upex, who was due to be Ukip's candidate for the Harrogate and Knaresborough seat at the general election in 2015, also backed a British exit from the EU "by force if necessary".

His comments were made in letters to Andrew Jones, the sitting Conservative MP for the constituency.

Upex was said to have written: "If there is to be a bloodletting in this country, there are a lot of people who would be candidates for my supply of piano wire."

After his views were made public, Upex resigned from Ukip, saying it was a "professional political party" not suited to "amateurs" like himself.

The consituency party said: "We have accepted the resignation of chairman John Upex following a difference of opinion of views and policies."

Upex has expressed controversial views on his website. He describes the movement of people within the EU to "the way Nazis moved ethnic Germans into the occupied territories of Poland - and the Israelis establishing Jewish settlements in the occupied territories".

His website also reads: "I believe that we have had our country taken away from us and that we have been 'given' to the European Union as a subservient state - a colony - where our laws are made in other countries.

"It is very likely that you will not agree with a lot of what I write; it is the strength of a free nation that we can hold opposing views, and personally I believe that someone who surrounds themselves with people who agree with them is a fool and is headed for disaster."

He told the Independent that his views on Down's syndrome foetuses had been taken out of context.

He said: "Before Ukip we had three parties that had no difference. We are in exactly the same situation as the Eastern Bloc countries before the Berlin Wall came down."

"Mr Jones accuses me of eugenics. This is a complete travesty. My view is that abortion is a necessary but not very pleasant evil. With current medical science where do you draw the line? My personal view is that up to nine weeks is OK but later than that, I couldn't do it.

He added: "In cases like Down's syndrome or spina bifida, I know children in that state and it is horrible for everyone. In cases like that termination might be the best thing."

In January, Nigel Farage announced there would be a clearout of "extremist, nasty or barmy" views from the political party ahead of the polls.