WHETHER or not you agree with Ukip politically - and it's entirely understandable if you don't - it's difficult to argue that the racist or xenophobic image of the party peddled by some of its more vocal opponents is at least somewhat unfair.

While there are some bad eggs in every party, and unfortunately Ukip does seem to have a tendency to attract a disproportionate number of bigots and crackpots, I don't believe the overwhelming majority of party members I've spoken to, including Nigel Farage and new leader Henry Bolton, are driven by anything other than their genuine political beliefs.

But unfortunately the ill-advised comments around transgender rights by AM Gareth Bennett last week will do little to help the party's image.

Speaking during a debate on human rights in the Senedd the South Wales Central AM said he was concerned society would “completely implode” as a result of concessions to what he called “deviation from the norm”.

“If we carry on down this road of appeasing the nuttiest elements of the transgender movement, then what we will face as a society, within a very short space of time, is total implosion,” he said.

The fact that he stormed out of the Senedd like a petulant child when asked to apologise - and has been banned from speaking in the Senedd until he does so - does little to mitigate the damage which will have been caused to the party.

And the party's Assembly leader Neil Hamilton hardly helped matters by playing the "political correctness" card.

And this isn't the first time Mr Bennett has put his foot in it - in last year's Assembly election he for some reason thought it was a good idea to blame the amount of litter on Cardiff's City Road - one of the most culturally vibrant areas in the city - on immigration.

Although a number of Ukip candidates stood down following the comments and he was reprimanded by the central party, he somehow survived and was inexplicably elected to the Assembly.

I'm sure the residents of South Wales Central, whether or not they agree with his views, won't be delighted that one of their elected representatives has been banned from speaking in the Assembly as a result of his own behaviour.

It's time for Ukip to take action and remind Mr Bennett that his comments have real consequences for the party and the people who elect them.

Ukip has just a handful of representatives at national level - five in the Senedd, 20 in the European Parliament and three in the House of Lords, as well as two in the London Assembly - so one of those being effectively banned from doing his job is not ideal.

It's unlikely we'll ever see a Ukip prime minister, but if the party wants to hang onto the power it does have it needs to take action against those which give it a bad name.

  •  As the Assembly broke up for Christmas recess last week we heard the shocking news that South Wales East AM Steffan Lewis – who, at 33 years old, is the youngest member in the Senedd – has been diagnosed with stage four cancer.

I know I’m not alone in considering Mr Lewis, who has a young son, as one of the most genuine, hard-working and nicest people in Welsh politics.

Despite being widely tipped as someone who could rise very high indeed in the Plaid rankings, he clearly cares for more about the issues which are important to the people of the region than his own advancement.

Everyone at the Argus wishes Mr Lewis a speedy and complete recovery.