THE UKIP councillor at the centre of racist and homophobic comments on a leaked telephone call has resigned from the party.
Speaking to BBC Essex, cllr Smith is also a Basildon District Councillor and an Essex County Council but there has been calls from a number of corners for him to also stand down from those positions.
But after comments from his UKIP leader in Essex and UKIP MP, Douglas Carswell, cllr Smith has made his decision.
Cllr Smith will stand as an independent councillor on Basildon and Essex County Councils.
And he has also announced that Basildon councilor Imelda Clancy, who represents Pitsea, is joining him in quitting UKIP and will stand as an independent.
Cllr Smith made his announcement in an email to Kirsten Farage, the wife of party leader Nigel.
On a statement to Mrs Farage, Cllr Smith said: “As of 9am this morning (16/12/14) I will be resigning my membership of UKIP, as will Cllr. Clancy.
“The reason for my resignation was due to the fact my group leader at County Hall told listeners of BBC Essex FM, that my position was untenable along with the comments made by Mr Douglas Carswell MP.
“I and Cllr. Clancy will now sit as independent councillors.
“May I personally wish both you and Nigel a Merry Christmas and a successful New Year.”
Yesterday Cllr Smith resigned as UKIP’s parliamentary for describing gay people as “disgusting old poofters” and referring to a woman with a Chinese name as a “chinky.”
