Wilders denies exiting pol's story

The departure of PVV Member of State for South-Holland Bart Brands has sparked ire from the party over the reasons for the politician's departure. Brands did not only leave the party due to PVV-leader Geert Wilders' now infamous anti-Moroccan speech during election night, but for a conversation he heard later. Several hours after Wilders made the speech, he is reported to have approached PVV-leader in the Haagse café in The Hague, Léon de Jong, and tell him: "If you now still get invited, I don't think you'll even be offered coffee." According to Bart Brands these words make it seem that Wilders did not want to be in The Hague's municipal council on purpose. De Jong now says that that conversation never happened, the Telegraaf reports. "It is just not true. During the campaign, I actually made it clear that we want to be in the city council to release The Hague from the PvdA. The departure of Bart surprises me immensely. In the last few weeks we were negotiating with him for a job as policy advisor with our fraction. At the municipal council elections he just fell out of the boat." Wilders reacted on Twitter Tuesday morning. "Smear campaign against PVV in full force. Will not work. #wewillwinanyway." Since Wilders' anti-Moroccan expressions, 11 PVV politicians have left the party. De Jong, who was clapping in support as he stood by Wilders making the speech, remains behind his leader. "I stand behind the expressions, behind that moment in the café and behind the explanation that was given earlier."