Arron Banks set to challenge UKIP's Douglas Carswell in Clacton
The party's main donor says he plans to take on its only MP at the next General Election as the infighting intensifies.
Tuesday 28 February 2017 19:43, UK
UKIP donor Arron Banks has suggested he is planning to run against UKIP's only MP Douglas Carswell in the next General Election.
The multi-millionaire insurance executive is understood to be furious about Mr Carswell's involvement in efforts to get a knighthood for Nigel Farage.
Mr Farage has been attacking Mr Carswell over claims he played a role in blocking a knighthood for the former UKIP leader, something the Clacton MP denies.
Mr Carswell, who defected to UKIP from the Conservatives in 2014, put out a jokey tweet on Monday night which said "Knight night", prompting Mr Banks to declare his intention to run.
The Essex constituency contains the towns of Clacton-on-Sea, Frinton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze, and was held by Mr Carswell at the last General Election after he took it for UKIP in a by-election following his defection.
Mr Banks said: "This Carswell tweet says it all. UKIP MP or not, I'll stand against him in Clacton next election!"
Later, in response to an Essex journalist's tweet saying Mr Carswell's camp was relaxed about Mr Banks running, the founder of Leave.EU tweeted: "Good.
"We will have a high street shop in Clacton, professional agent appointed soon and I will be rolling my sleeves up."
Earlier,
In his newspaper column, Mr Farage said there was no future for the party if Mr Carswell remained in it.
The former UKIP leader accused the Clacton MP of trying to "split and divide UKIP in every way imaginable" since he joined and called on Mr Nuttall to throw him out.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Farage said: "As a party, how can we let a man represent us in the House of Commons who actively and transparently seeks to damage us? I think there is little future for UKIP with him staying inside this party. The time for him to go is now."
Mr Nuttall asked UKIP's party chairman Paul Oakden to meet Mr Carswell on Tuesday afternoon to discuss an apparent series of emails about an honour for Mr Farage.
During the email exchange between the MP and UKIP peer Lord Pearson, Mr Carswell allegedly joked Mr Farage should get an OBE for "services to headline writers".
However, it is understood not to be a disciplinary meeting.
UKIP has struggled to maintain unity since Mr Farage stepped down as leader last year. His intervention suggests he retains significant control over party affairs.
Mr Banks' indication that he plans to run in Clacton risks causing a further divide.