New UKIP leader's local links

Henry Bolton grew up in a West Berkshire village

COLD Ash has been placed on the political map after a former resident and Kennet School pupil became UKIP’s new leader last week.

Henry Bolton grew up in the village and attended Kennet School in Thatcham.

His mother, Sheila Bolton, who lives in Cold Ash, told the NWN that her son, aged around 14 at the time, called the White House from a telephone box in Thatcham town centre, seeking to speak to US president Jimmy Carter about missiles at the US air base at Greenham.

The former soldier, Thames Valley Police officer and security consultant to the UN and the EU was elected UKIP party leader at the party’s conference in Torquay last week.

Following his victory Mr Bolton said: “We will rebuild and revitalise our party together, resume our core task and moral responsibility regarding Brexit and hold the government to account.”

Mrs Bolton said that her son’s vast experience had put him in good stead to lead UKIP.

Read the full interview in this week's Newbury Weekly News.