Editing Neil Hamilton (politician) (section)

===UK Independence Party===
In September 2011, Hamilton attended the annual conference of the [[UK Independence Party]] (UKIP). The party's leader [[Nigel Farage]] pledged to support him in the election for the National Executive Committee.<ref name="ukip">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14857078|title=Neil Hamilton joins UKIP's Nigel Farage show|work=BBC News|date=9 September 2011|access-date=12 September 2011}}</ref> Hamilton was elected to the committee on 1 November 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukip.org/content/latest-news/2531-hamilton-back-with-nec-post|title=Hamilton back with NEC post|publisher=UKIP|date=1 November 2011|access-date=2 November 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130416005942/http://www.ukip.org/content/latest-news/2531-hamilton-back-with-nec-post|archive-date=16 April 2013}}</ref> He later become deputy chairman of the party.<ref>[http://www.ukip.org/the-party/nec "NEC"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203085659/http://www.ukip.org/the-party/nec |date=3 February 2014 }}, UKIP.</ref> Hamilton was demoted from his role as campaign director in April 2014.<ref>Lucy Fisher, [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/apr/19/neil-hamilton-ukip-demoted-sleaze-fears "Ukip demotes Neil Hamilton as party fears over sleaze grow."] ''The Observer'', p24, 20 April 2014. Accessed 23 May 2014.</ref> In the [[2014 United Kingdom local elections|May 2014 local elections]], he stood as a UKIP candidate in the St Mary's Park ward of [[Wandsworth London Borough Council]] and finished 8th of the 9 candidates with 396 votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/info/200327/election_results/1781/borough_council_elections_may_2014/15|title=St Mary's Park Ward results|publisher=Wandsworth London Borough Council}}</ref>
====Member of the Senedd====
In the [[2016 National Assembly for Wales election]], Hamilton ran as UKIP's candidate for [[Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (Senedd constituency)|Carmarthen East and Dinefwr]], receiving 3,474 votes (11.7%).<ref>{{cite web|title = Election results for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, 6 May 2016|url = https://business.senedd.wales/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=258|website = Senedd Cymru|access-date = 2 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title = Carmarthen East and Dinefwr - Welsh Assembly constituency - Election 2016|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/wales-constituencies/W09000015|work = BBC News|access-date = 2 February 2025}}</ref>
He also stood as the lead candidate in the [[Mid and West Wales (National Assembly for Wales electoral region)|Mid and West Wales Region]], becoming one of seven UKIP candidates to win a seat through the Regional List system.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2016-wales-36207410 "Welsh Election 2016: Labour just short as UKIP wins seats"], ''BBC News'', 6 May 2016.</ref> 

On 10 May 2016, UKIP's AMs voted him their leader in the Welsh Assembly, defeating [[Nathan Gill]]. The UKIP leader, [[Nigel Farage]], criticised the move as an "unjust act of deep ingratitude".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-36251304|title=UKIP's Farage attacks Hamilton's leadership victory|website=BBC News|date=10 May 2016}}</ref> Hamilton dismissed Farage's criticism as "irrelevant",<ref>[http://www.itv.com/news/wales/update/2016-05-10/nathan-gill-very-disappointed-and-farage-criticism-irrelevant-neil-hamilton/ "Nathan Gill 'very disappointed' and Farage criticism 'irrelevant' - Neil Hamilton"], ''ITV News'', 10 May 2016.</ref> accused him of "throwing toys out of pram"<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-36262353 "'Farage throwing toys out of pram', says Neil Hamilton"], ''BBC News'', 10 May 2016.</ref> and referred to him as "the MEP for the South East of England".<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-36251304 "UKIP's Farage attacks Hamilton's leadership victory"], ''BBC News'', 10 May 2016.</ref> 
During his maiden speech in the Welsh Assembly, he was accused of making sexist remarks towards female politicians after referring to [[Kirsty Williams]] and [[Leanne Wood]] as "concubines" in a "harem".<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-36320917 "Sexism row over Neil Hamilton's maiden assembly speech"], ''BBC News'', 18 May 2016.</ref>

In leaked emails, he was accused by UKIP's biggest donor, [[Arron Banks]], of being a "corrupt old Tory".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nathan-gill-ukips-leader-in-wales-has-left-his-party-grouping-in-the-welsh-assembly-a7195426.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nathan-gill-ukips-leader-in-wales-has-left-his-party-grouping-in-the-welsh-assembly-a7195426.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |title=Ukip's leader in Wales withdraws himself from his party in the Welsh Assembly|website=The Independent|author=Tom Peck |access-date=17 August 2016|date=17 August 2016}}</ref> Nathan Gill subsequently left the UKIP group in the assembly to sit as an independent,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-36917327|title=UKIP MEP Nathan Gill told to quit as successor is 'ready'|date=29 July 2016|newspaper=BBC News|access-date=28 October 2016}}</ref> resulting in Neil Hamilton becoming UKIP's Leader in Wales in September 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-37105782|title=Nathan Gill leaves UKIP assembly group to sit as independent|date=17 August 2016|newspaper=BBC News|access-date=28 October 2016}}</ref> 

Hamilton caused further controversy during a debate on the effects of Brexit in Wales. When [[Eluned Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Ely|Eluned Morgan]] claimed that the economic consequences of Brexit would be hardest for those who could least afford it, Hamilton remarked that "suicide's an option". He was instructed by the presiding officer to apologise for the remark. Hamilton initially refused, saying, "What is there to apologise for?" and "What was unparliamentary about the remark?" He did eventually apologise, saying, "I apologise for whatever remark I am supposed to have made."<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-39437574 "Neil Hamilton apology for Brexit 'suicide' remark"], ''BBC News'', 29 March 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2017.</ref>

At the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]], he received 985 votes (2.4%) in [[Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (UK Parliament constituency)|Carmarthen East and Dinefwr]].<ref>{{cite web|title = Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (Constituency) - MPs and Lords|url = https://members.parliament.uk/constituency/3394/election/377|website = UK. Parliament|access-date = 2 February 2025}}</ref>

In April 2018, Hamilton said that "the idea that [[Enoch Powell]] was some kind of uniquely racist villain is absolute nonsense". Commenting on Powell's [[Rivers of Blood speech|'Rivers of Blood' speech]] about mass immigration, Hamilton said that Powell was wrong about predicting racial violence, but had been "proved right by events" in terms of social change that was "never desired by the majority of the British people". Hamilton said that Powell "changed politics by articulating the fears and resentments of millions and millions of people who are being ignored by the establishment". In response, the leader of [[Plaid Cymru]], [[Leanne Wood]], accused Hamilton of "keeping Powell's racist rhetoric going". Labour AM [[Hefin David]] described Hamilton's comments as "outrageous".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-43783172|title=UKIP Wales leader defends Enoch Powell|date=16 April 2018|work=BBC News|access-date=17 April 2018}}</ref>

Hamilton was ousted as leader of UKIP in the National Assembly on 17 May 2018 and was replaced by [[Caroline Jones (politician)|Caroline Jones]].<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-44152343 | title=Neil Hamilton out as UKIP assembly leader| work=BBC News| date=17 May 2018}}</ref>
In August 2018, UKIP leader [[Gerard Batten]] MEP announced that there would be a [[2018 UKIP Wales leadership election|membership ballot for the leadership of UKIP in Wales]]. The eventual winner would become the UKIP Assembly Group Leader and ultimately the party's main spokesperson for Wales. Hamilton, Jones and another UKIP Assembly Member in Wales, [[Gareth Bennett (politician)|Gareth Bennett]], stood in the election, which was won by Bennett. Hamilton said he could "happily" work with Mr Bennett, but Jones said she had "a lot of thinking to do". Batten said he expected his Welsh Assembly members to now "work together for UKIP's cause and get on with the job."<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-45119893 "UKIP Wales members elect Gareth Bennett as assembly leader"], ''BBC News'', 10 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018.</ref>

In April 2019, Hamilton was the UKIP candidate in the [[2019 Newport West by-election|by-election for Newport West]]. He came third behind the Labour and Conservative candidates with 2,023 votes (8.6%).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/05/newport-west-byelection-labour-retains-seat-ruth-jones-brexit|title=Newport West byelection: Labour retains seat amid Brexit chaos|author=Steven Morris|date=5 April 2019|website=The Guardian|access-date=5 April 2019}}</ref>

Hamilton was the only MS not to live in Wales.<ref>{{cite news|title= The Welsh AM who claimed £9,000 to get to Cardiff Bay from his home in England |url= https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/neil-hamilton-ukip-expenses-assembly-17710690 |author= Will Hayward |work=Wales Online|date= 10 February 2020 | access-date= 14 February 2020 }}</ref> By 2021 he was UKIP's only representative at any level above local government.

On 12 September 2020, he was appointed acting leader, replacing [[Freddy Vachha]].<ref name = "Interim">{{cite web|title=Neil Hamilton Appointed Interim Leader of UKIP|url=https://www.ukip.org/neil-hamilton-appointed-interim-leader-of-ukip|date=14 September 2020|access-date=2 April 2021|publisher=UKIP}}</ref>

In the [[2021 Senedd election]] Hamilton moved to the [[South Wales East]] region. He criticised [[BBC Wales]] for excluding UKIP from the main leaders' debates, with Hamilton instead being invited to a separate debate alongside [[Reform UK]] and the [[Wales Green Party]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Chandler|first=Andy|date=21 April 2021|title=Neil Hamilton brands BBC excluding UKIP from main leaders' debates "outrageous"|url=https://www.herald.wales/politics/neil-hamilton-brands-bbc-excluding-ukip-from-main-leaders-debates-outrageous/|access-date=5 October 2021|website=Herald Wales}}</ref> Hamilton contested the constituency of [[Islwyn (Senedd constituency)|Islwyn]] but came sixth with just 507 votes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2021/wales/constituencies/W09000036 |title=Islwyn - Welsh Parliament constituency |work=BBC News |accessdate=8 May 2021}}</ref> He was also top of the UKIP list for that region but was not appointed as an additional member either.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2021/wales/regions/W10000008 |work=BBC News |accessdate=8 May 2021 |title=South Wales East}}</ref> Meanwhile the party lost all its other Senedd seats.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/election-results-labour-remains-in-power-in-wales-after-winning-working-senedd-majority-12300197|title=Election results: Labour remains in power in Wales after winning working Senedd majority|author=Greg Heffer|website=Sky News|access-date=8 May 2021}}</ref>

====UKIP leader====
After a period as acting leader, Hamilton was elected as leader in October 2021, receiving 498 out of 631 votes cast (78.9%) against challenger John Poynton.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ukip.org/elections-2021|title=2021 NEC and Leadership Election - The Results!|publisher=UKIP|access-date=27 November 2021}}</ref>

In December 2023, the anti-racism magazine, ''Searchlight'', reported that Hamilton would step down as UKIP leader in 2024 in order to spend more time with his family.<ref> {{cite news |url=https://www.searchlightmagazine.com/2023/12/ukip-in-desperate-moves-to-shed-reputation-for-sleaze-and-crookery/ |work=Searchlight |title=UKIP in desperate moves to shed reputation for sleaze and crookery |date=17 December 2023 |access-date=17 June 2024}}</ref> Following the election of [[Lois Perry]] as UKIP leader in May 2024, he was appointed honorary president of the party.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 June 2024 |title=Party Leadership Update |url=https://www.ukip.org/party-leadership-update |access-date=29 June 2024 |publisher=UKIP}}</ref>