Bristol Ukip chair Steve Wood defends John Langley's porn career: 'As long as it's not kids and animals, it gets my vote'

When many people think of Ukip, they imagine wax jackets, old men drinking pints of bitter, and the phrase "coming over here, taking our jobs".

But after it emerged this afternoon that the vice chair of the Bristol branch of the party, John Langley, is a veteran porn star known as "Johnny Rockard", it caused people across the nation to choke on their tea.

The Independent interviewed Langley's boss, Ukip Bristol chair Steve Wood, to find out more about the party's "libertarian" stance, and heard about why he finds EastEnders is more offensive than porn. He also carefully managed to avoid the use of the word "balls".

The Independent: Hi Steve, why do you think the Johnny Rockard incident has captured the public imagination?

Steve Wood: "When something comes up about Ukip the press go on about it like there’s no tomorrow, but when it’s the Liberal Democrats or Labour, you ignore it like there’s no tomorrow. Maybe you’d like to answer that one for me.

"Ukip is a libertarian party and we accept people from all walks of life. But when it comes to the mainstream media, you’re vilified. We have a man here – what he wants to do, in the privacy of his home, running a small business or whatever he’s doing, it’s not illegal."

It’s not illegal but a lot of people might say that perhaps making intimate videos and putting them online, that’s not particularly private. It’s quite public.

SW: "If people want to view them then they’re entitled to. It’s everybody’s personal taste. There are certain issues in life I don’t like, but there’s an off button – it’s called freedom of choice…

"Personally, I can’t stand EastEnders. And I turn it off every time it comes on – I think it’s a foul programme. But my wife loves it, so when it comes on I either leave the room or turn it off. And that’s what the off button is for. But the media, when it comes to Ukip, is jumping on the bandwagon at every golden opportunity. They forget all the good we do – all the charitable work – but the moment that something comes up, you jump on us like a sack of spuds. A Liberal Democrat has recently been arrested for interfering with a minor – where is that in the press?"

Well I’m sure that has been reported but perhaps they haven’t contacted you for comment.

SW: "Even though John defected from the Liberal Democrats to us two years ago, he’s been doing this now for 20-odd years. When he was a Liberal Democrat, nobody questioned it. The moment he crosses the floor to come to Ukip, it’s suddenly a disgusting thing.

"I don’t think it’s more or less interesting because he’s a member or Ukip, I think it’s interesting that he’s a politician, and a lot of politicians are private about their intimate dealings – and Johnny Rockard’s a lot more public and I think that’s very interesting to people.

"It’s interesting in the sense that we’re a libertarian party, we have nothing to hide, we face matters face-on and we don’t try to hide behind statistics or not answer questions."

Do you not think that perhaps it’s a conflict of interests?

SW: "How? How?"

Because I wonder if people would like to speak to a politician and perhaps not know what they get up to in their spare time. Perhaps that’s why most politicians portray themselves as a fairly blank canvas, because that might make it easier for people to take them seriously.

SW: "That’s the problem with todays’ politicians, they’re too bland. You can’t get a cigarette paper between them. If you add a bit of spice and spice it all up, you know what you’re getting. How can one man’s personal life interfere with his business life unless it flows over?…

"What people don’t realise is the work he’s done for mental health – he’s been a chair on a number of mental health boards, he’s a founding father of Link in Bristol, which helps mental health issues. Taking away the porn side, you know the man actually works his socks off for mental health?"

I don’t think they’re mutually exclusive.

SW: "If he wants to get his rocks off making porn films, it ain’t a problem. And it won’t be a problem for other people. It has never come into his public life and it’s just a scurrilous tip-off – and we’ve got a good idea where it’s come from... [Langley] pays his taxes, he pays his rent, he pays his dues on time."

But everybody’s supposed to do those things.

SW: "Yeah we are, so what’s the problem. He happens to make his living from porn. What’s the difference between Rockhard Johnny and Peter Stringfellow?"

Well I think people might be less inclined to vote for Peter Stringfellow…

SW: "But they’re both as ugly as each other so… you know. Neither one of them would appeal to me or, hopefully, my wife… Would it be preferred if the public said ‘we don’t want you do do that as a politician’ so he packs in earning his living and goes on benefits. So he’s had it both ways."

So to speak…

SW: "[Laughs] Being serious for two or three minutes, Ukip is a libertarian party. We accept people across the board regardless of colour, creed or sexuality. Providing everything they do is legal, I haven’t got sa problem. If John wants to make porn films then fine.... It wouldn’t be my bag of nails to sit there and watch him, but some people might do. If somebody gets on their high horse and says ‘this is disgusting, you shouldn’t do it’ it’s personal choice."

It’s very interesting to see someone exercising it in this particular way before the general election.

SW: "We all do something to earn a living… This is no different to going to an office every day."

It’s quite different to The Independent's office, I have to say.

SW: "There are people out there who want to do that but they haven’t got the… Nouse to stand up and say I wish I could do that."

I would have preferred it if you’d said "balls".

SW: "I wanted to but I’ve got to be reasonably productive… Anyway, we have lived so long with society saying what we should or shouldn’t do, hey – live a little. We’re a long time dead. If this is what he wants to do, as long as it doesn’t involve kids or animals, he gets my vote."

Thanks for your time, Steve.