In October he invited her for a second time to the Oxford and Cambridge Club, where membership is limited to those who attended the universities. “He asked me to pop into his office first at 5pm,” Ms Bolter said. “If the general secretary of the party rings you and says that, you go.”
Mr Bird allegedly told Ms Bolter, who was wearing jeans, that she was not dressed smartly enough to dine later at the Oxford and Cambridge Club, she said. She said he bought her a £169 dress from Ted Baker and some matching shoes, before approvingly telling her that she “now looked like a girl who could get in a taxi”.
“That ****ed me off,” Ms Bolter said. “I felt like slapping him. Before, when I was in jeans, I was obviously an Underground or a bus kind of person.”
Ms Bolter claimed that at this second meeting, after a heavy meal, Mr Bird “leant over and tried to kiss me”.
“It was obvious that he wanted to sleep with me,” she said. “He said, I can help you, I’m supporting you.
“I was quite adamant that I’m not going to sleep with him or anyone [in Ukip]. It’s hard enough for women. We shouldn’t have to sleep with people to get to the right place.”
Ms Bolter said that she left while “very upset”.
After that night she alleges that she received anonymous emails “bullying” her and alleging that she had slept with Mr Bird and was even pregnant with his child. She complained to party officials who instigated an investigation that led to Mr Bird’s suspension.