Ukip’s general secretary has compared his party to the “Black Death” in the wake of an almost total collapse at Thursday’s local elections.

The plague that hit in the 1300s, which is estimated to have killed up to 60% of Europe’s population, turned victims skin black and left them vomiting and suffering from diarrhea, among other symptoms.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4′s Today programme on Thursday morning, Paul Oakley insisted on Friday morning it was not “all over” for Ukip.

The party has so far lost 92 council seats and won just two.

“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,” he said.

Asked whether it was a good comparison to make, he said: “Absolutely. What’s wrong with that?”

“It also led to economic growth and the Renaissance. 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.”

He added: “We were never going to do brilliantly in these elections, we knew that. We accepted that some time ago. If we had had the money to campaign, we would have done a lot better. We are never going to take over councils all over the country. Four years ago was our high point.”

In the wake of the local election results, Ukip leader Gerard Batten, who only took over in Frebruary, has already faced calls to consider his position.