UKIP's general secretary has compared his party with the Black Death, after it suffered a collapse in its vote in the local elections.
Paul Oakley said "it wasn't over at all" for UKIP, comparing it to the plague which killed millions of people before going "dormant".
In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: "Think of the Black Death in the Middle Ages.
"It comes along and it causes disruption and then it goes dormant, and that's exactly what we are going to do. Our time isn't finished because Brexit is being betrayed."
Presenter Nick Robinson was taken aback. He asked: "Can I just clarify – as general secretary of UKIP, you've just compared your party with the Black Death?"
"Absolutely," Oakley replied. "What's wrong with that?"
Robinson replied: "Well, it's responsible for the deaths of many hundreds of thousands of people – that might be one reason to hesitate about the metaphor."
Oakley said: "It also led to economic growth and the Renaissance, but this isn't a history lesson, it's just an analogy, a little sound bite for Radio 4."
Robinson pressed him: "Just give us one aspect of the Black Death you'd like to emulate."
Oakley replied: "Well, it got rid of the whole issue of servitude, basically, and allowed people to go into the towns and escape their landlords and create their own businesses, that sort of thing."
Robinson ended the conversation: "UKIP are like the Black Death, thank you for joining us."
Oakley had no regrets, posting this on Twitter soon afterwards.
Black Death.
It was undoubtedly a bad night for UKIP, which saw many of its councillors lose their seats and the Conservatives pick up much of their support.
The party has been forced to defend itself from claims that with the UK now on course for Brexit, many former UKIP voters see no point in supporting it any longer.