TWO former Gwent general election UKIP candidates have called for the party’s Welsh leader to resign after a row in the party.

Ken Beswick, last year’s UKIP candidate for Torfaen, said the selection process for the upcoming Welsh assembly elections have been a “carve-up”.

He and Joe Smyth, candidate for Islwyn in the general election, are part of a group of UKIP Wales members calling for Nathan Gill, head of the Welsh party, to resign.

Mr Gill is accused of “weak leadership” and UKIP HQ was called “disloyal”.

The row was over the selection of regional candidates after reports the party’s national executive committee would choose them instead of local party members.

Earlier this week Mr Gill called it a “great victory” after it was decided local party members would have the final say over Welsh assembly candidates.

But UKIP’s Mr Smyth, who has withdrawn from the selection process for the assembly elections in protest, said Mr Gill showed poor leadership and just “went along with it”.

He said: “We had great candidates and UKIP HQ decided they were going to run the selection process. UKIP Wales could have done all that by ourselves from within Wales.

“Nathan Gill went along with it, it was extremely poor leadership. He’s been quiet throughout the whole process. He approved everything from the beginning.

“It’s so disloyal what they have done, we have done hard work in Wales. We feel extremely let down by UKIP HQ and Nathan Gill.

“As a leader it’s his responsibility to listen to the members. We know what’s happening on the ground.”

Mr Beswick, who has also withdrawn from the assembly selection process in protest, said: “Nathan Gill becoming deputy leader was all done undemocratically.

“It was Nigel Farage deciding himself that he wanted Nathan Gill.

“He is very close to Nigel Farage. Nathan Gill won’t stand up to Farage or the NEC.

“They invited me to stand for election in Torfaen but I said no. It’s been a big carve-up all the way along.

“UKIP in Wales is not in a very good position any more. But on this occasion I don’t see any point because the party’s in disarray, it’s not being run very well.”

A UKIP spokesman said: "Far from being weak he's actually been very determined in his commitment to ensuring the process is not controlled by party elites.

"The selection process has been deeply complex to ensure the best outcome – there will always be people dissatisfied.

"We think putting the decision in the hands of the membership is the most democratic option.

"All candidates that will be submitted to the membership have been rigorously vetted to ensure the highest calibre candidates are put forward to represent UKIP Wales."