The chair of UKIP’s LGBT group has resigned due to the party’s failure to “set a gay-friendly tone”

Tom Booker (pictured) announced his resignation on Twitter, stating that he decided to step down because “simply couldn’t defend the party any more”.

In a statement on Pink News Booker said: “I stepped down from my position as founder-chairman of LGBT* in Ukip, and resigned my membership of Ukip, due to disillusionment of policy direction and dissatisfaction at the failure of the leadership to set a gay-friendly tone.

I also now wish to focus more time on my career development and personal life.

I am proud of my contribution to Ukip. The new LGBT* in Ukip committee is excellent, and I hope that the enthusiasm and dedication of the committee will take the group to new heights.

I would like to wish them all the best.”

When asked on Twitter why he was stepping down, he replied: “Very simply, I found that I couldn’t defend the party or convincingly campaign for it anymore.”

UKIP’s LGBT group which opposes same-sex marriage on the grounds of religious freedom, will now be led by Flo Lewis, reports The Guardian.

The party is not known for its enlightened stance on LGBT matters: in 2014 party’s councillor for Henley-upon-Thames, David Silvester, claimed that record heavy flooding in that year was God’s retribution for the government’s plans to legalise gay marriage.