Editing Neil Hamilton (politician) (section)

==Political career==
===Parliamentary career===
On 12 March 1983, Hamilton was selected as the Conservative candidate for the newly created [[Tatton (UK Parliament constituency)|Tatton constituency]]. Three months later, at the [[1983 United Kingdom general election|1983 general election]] Hamilton was elected to [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]] as [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] for Tatton. On entering the Commons, Hamilton was appointed as an officer of the backbench committee on Trade and Industry under the chairmanship of [[Michael Grylls]].<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

====Leaded petrol====
In 1984, against party policy, Hamilton opposed the abandonment of [[leaded petrol]] in Britain. He argued there was no evidence that leaded petrol was damaging the environment, or health, and that jobs would be lost in his constituency if leaded petrol was banned.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1984/dec/04/petrol-lead-and-benzene-content |title=Petrol (Lead and Benzene Content) |work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]]|volume=1984 | date= 4 December 1984 |issue=69 |publisher=House of Commons |access-date=5 May 2012}}</ref>

====Western Goals Institute====
Hamilton resumed his activities as a supporter of pressure groups, including the [[Western Goals Institute]], led by ex-Young Monday Club Chairman, Andrew V. R. Smith and attracting the support of other parliamentarians such as Sir [[Patrick Wall]], [[Bill Walker (Scottish Conservative politician)|Bill Walker]], [[Nicholas Winterton]] and the Revd. [[Martin Smyth]]. He was on their parliamentary advisory board.<ref name="Labour Research 1988, p.2">''Labour Research'', November 1988, p. 2.</ref> The Western Goals Institute achieved notoriety by inviting [[Jean-Marie Le Pen]] (leader of the French National Front) and [[Alessandra Mussolini]] ([[Benito Mussolini]]'s granddaughter, a Deputy sitting for the Italian neo-fascist MSI) to address fringe meetings at the 1992 Conservative Party conference. The [[Chairman of the Conservative Party|Party Chairman]] [[Sir Norman Fowler]] was outraged, and said the Conservative Party was not related to the Western Goals Institute. In the event the meetings were cancelled, as neither Le Pen nor Mussolini could come to Britain.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/the-labour-party-in-blackpool-antifascists-plan-tory-protest-1554511.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/the-labour-party-in-blackpool-antifascists-plan-tory-protest-1554511.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |title=Anti-fascists plan Tory protest |work=The Independent|date=30 September 1992 |access-date=21 July 2016}}</ref>

Hamilton also lent his support to the [[No Turning Back (political group)|No Turning Back Group]] organised by his friend [[Michael Brown (British politician)|Michael Brown]] MP. Other MPs active in the No Turning Back Group included [[Michael Portillo]], [[Peter Lilley]], [[Alan Duncan]] and [[Gerald Howarth]].<ref name="David Leigh pages 76">David Leigh & Ed Vulliamy, ''Sleaze, the Corruption of Parliament'', page 76, {{ISBN|185702-694-2}}</ref>

====Ian Greer Associates====
In 1985, he began working for [[Ian Greer Associates]], lobbying on behalf of [[U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company|US Tobacco]].<ref>David Leigh & Ed Vulliamy, ''Sleaze, the Corruption of Parliament'', pp. 65/70, {{ISBN|185702-694-2}}.</ref> Hamilton, together with Michael Brown, became an enthusiastic supporter of US Tobacco's product [[Skoal Bandits]], a tea-bag type of pouch of tobacco designed for chewing. The product was believed to cause serious risk of [[oral cancer]], particularly for minors, and the government was inclined to ban its import. Hamilton said he supported the introduction of Skoal Bandits on [[libertarian]] grounds, and lobbied ministers (including [[Edwina Currie]] and [[David Mellor]]) to allow its introduction. The House of Commons Select Committee on Standards investigation stated: "Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Brown had a number of contacts with Ministers and officials as part of their campaign to influence Government policy on Skoal Bandits" and said that there was "no evidence ... that any appropriate declaration was made".<ref>{{cite web|author=The Committee Office, House of Commons |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmselect/cmstnprv/030i/sp0133.htm |title=Hansard: Select Committee on Standards and Privileges First Report: VI. SUMMARIZING THE EVIDENCE – Continued 7. ALLEGATIONS RELATING TO NON-DECLARATION OF INTERESTS b. The Campaign relating to Skoal Bandits |website=Publications.parliament.uk |date=8 July 1997 |access-date=21 July 2016}}</ref> Hamilton was obliged to concede he had been wrong to make no reference to the payment "when I went on those meetings with Ministers".{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

====Strategy Network International====
In June 1990, Hamilton was recruited by the right-wing Monday Club activist [[Derek Laud]] to work for Strategy Network International, a firm specifically created to lobby against anti-apartheid movements and economic sanctions and for [[apartheid South Africa]]'s 'transitional government' of [[Namibia]] set up in defiance of UN Resolution 435 on Namibian independence. Derek Laud was an ex-Monday Club activist and protégé of Hamilton's friend Michael Brown, who offered Hamilton a fee of £8,000 per year. Hamilton failed to register the paid-for consultancy. Hamilton took free trips to South Africa in the company of Brown.<ref>Patricia Wynn Davies, [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/the-attack-on-sleaze-how-apartheid-regime-set-out-to-woo-tories-patricia-wynn-davies-tells-the-story-of-the-firm-which-gave-mps-a-south-african-perspective-1444979.html "The Attack on Sleaze: How apartheid regime set out to woo Tories"], ''The Independent'', 26 October 1994<br />- David Leigh & Ed Vulliamy, ''Sleaze, the Corruption of Parliament'', page 136, {{ISBN|185702-694-2}}<br />- [https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmselect/cmstnprv/030i/sp0129.htm Select Committee on Standards and Privileges First Report iv. STRATEGY NETWORK INTERNATIONAL], ''Hansard''.</ref>

====Thatcher leadership contest====
Thatcher appointed Hamilton a [[whip (politics)|whip]] in July 1990. In November 1990, [[Michael Heseltine]] initiated a [[1990 Conservative Party leadership election|leadership challenge]] to [[Margaret Thatcher]]. Hamilton was told by the Chief Whip to stay neutral, but says he ignored this instruction. "I naturally ignored this advice and fed all my intelligence into her campaign." He also said that he made the fateful suggestion that she interview each cabinet member individually, believing they would lack the resolve to tell her to her face that she must go. "Unfortunately, I had miscalculated."<ref>Neil Hamilton in Iain Dale (ed) ''Memories of Margaret Thatcher: A Portrait, By Those Who Knew Her Best'' (Biteback Publishing, 2013) {{ISBN|184954607X}}</ref> Hamilton strongly encouraged Thatcher to persist. At a meeting where [[Peter Lilley]] argued that Thatcher could not survive, Hamilton subjected him to a barrage of "sarcasm and heckling".<ref name="Ref-1">Bruce Anderson, ''John Major – Making of the Prime Minister'' (1991).</ref> On 21 November 1990, Hamilton and like-minded colleagues met Thatcher at [[Downing Street]]. Thatcher did subsequently resign, and in the next round of the election Hamilton voted for [[John Major]].<ref>Christine Hamilton's autobiography – 2005.</ref>

====Minister in Major Government====
From 1992 to 1994, Hamilton was the Minister for [[Deregulation]] and [[Corporate Affairs]] in [[John Major]]'s government. He came under pressure to step down after the resignation of another minister, [[Tim Smith (British politician)|Tim Smith]], on 19 October 1994, after Smith had admitted to taking money in the [[cash-for-questions affair]]. Facing the same allegations,<ref>David Hencke, [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/conservatives/story/0,,536101,00.html Tory MPs were paid to plant questions says Harrods chief] in [[The Guardian]] dated 20 October 1994</ref> Hamilton denied them and issued proceedings for [[libel]], but he resigned on 26 October at the insistence of [[John Major]].<ref>"The individual responsibility of ministers" in David Pollard, Neil Parpworth, David Hughes,  ''Constitutional and Administrative Law: Text with Materials'' (Oxford University Press, 2007), [https://books.google.com/books?id=u3BqMbyWXeMC&pg=PA171  p. 171]</ref>

===Approach to the Maastricht Treaty===
Denmark rejected the [[Maastricht Treaty]] on 2 June 1992.<ref>''Western Europe 2003''
(Europa Europa Publications, Psychology Press, 2002), [https://books.google.com/books?id=M9QYndAPmuQC&pg=PA117  p. 117]</ref> Like some other Conservative ministers, Hamilton had also opposed the treaty and was a member of the Eurosceptic "No Turning Back" group.<ref>Anthony Forster, ''Euroscepticism in Contemporary British Politics: Opposition to Europe in the British Conservative and Labour Parties Since 1945'' (Psychology Press, 2002), [https://books.google.com/books?id=2JGGhjhGWiYC&pg=PA89  p. 89]</ref> Despite this, Hamilton remained, for a time, loyal to the Major government which endorsed the treaty. Hamilton urged his colleagues not to resign over the Treaty and other issues.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

No longer a minister at the time of the [[1995 Conservative Party leadership election]], Hamilton did not support Major. Initially a supporter of [[Michael Portillo]], when Portillo did not contest the leadership Hamilton voted instead for [[John Redwood]]. Hamilton also sent condolences to Portillo in 2001, when he failed to win [[2001 Conservative Party leadership election|that year's leadership election]].<ref>Michael Brown, [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/i-was-there-when-they-first-met-he-delighted-in-showing-off-she-was-the-centre-of-attention-9146058.html%3famp "I was there when they first met – he delighted in showing off, she was the centre of attention"], ''[[The Independent]]''. 13 August 2001.</ref>

===Loss of Tatton===
Prior to the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]], Hamilton determined to try to retain his parliamentary seat. His majority at the 1992 general election had been almost 16,000 votes. In 1997, Tatton was the fourth safest Conservative seat in Britain. Hamilton was under investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner as part of the ''cash for questions'' enquiry and some party members thought he should stand down after the collapse of his case against ''The Guardian''.<ref>The 1997 General Election edited by D. T. Denver, p. 83. {{ISBN|0714649090}}.</ref> Disquiet in the local association became public, but the majority gave him the benefit of the doubt.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/archive/1996/10/09/5325758.NEIL_Hamilton_should_step_down_as_Knutsford_s_MP_now__a_true_blue_Tory_argued_this_week_/?ref=arc |title=Neil Hamilton should step down as Knutsford's MP now, a true blue Tory argued this week |work=Warrington Guardian |date=9 October 1996|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725171525/http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/archive/1996/10/09/5325758.NEIL_Hamilton_should_step_down_as_Knutsford_s_MP_now__a_true_blue_Tory_argued_this_week_/?ref=arc |archivedate=25 July 2014}}</ref>
Hamilton resisted the pressure from senior Conservatives and [[Conservative Central Office]] to stand down. [[Jeremy Paxman]] states that Conservative Central Office "begged him not to stand, but in a gesture of overweening arrogance, he refused to go quietly."<ref>Jeremy Paxman, ''The Political Animal'', 2002, {{ISBN|9780141032962}}</ref>
On 8 April 1997, Hamilton was chosen as the Conservative candidate for Tatton (182 for, 35 against, 100 abstained). ''[[The Observer]]'' commissioned ICM polls in the constituencies of the three Conservative candidates tainted by scandal and seeking re-election: Hamilton, [[Allan Stewart (politician)|Allan Stewart]] and [[Piers Merchant]]. Both Stewart and Merchant were found to have support consistent with their party's standing, but in Tatton "there was massive hostility to Hamilton".<ref>Bruce Page, ''The Murdoch Archipelago'', 2003, {{ISBN|9781849837798}}.</ref>

When [[Martin Bell]], the BBC war correspondent, announced he would stand as an independent candidate in Tatton, the Labour and Liberal Democrat candidates for the area stood down in order to give Bell a clear run against Hamilton. Bell defeated Hamilton, winning by a majority of over 11,000 votes with a swing of 48%. Although Hamilton vowed to return to parliament, this defeat marked the end of his political career in the Conservative Party. In March 1999, [[George Osborne]] was selected by the Tatton Conservative Association to be their candidate for the following general election.

===William Hague's leadership===
Following Hamilton's ejection from Tatton and the Conservative defeat in the 1997 election, the new party leader, [[William Hague]], sought to distance the Conservative Party from the disgraced Hamilton and asked Hamilton to stay away from the party conference.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1485089.stm "Profile: Neil Hamilton"], ''BBC News'', 10 August 2001.</ref>

===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>