UKIP members must be aghast at its drift to the extreme right under the stewardship of present interim leader Gerard Batten.

Sky News’ recent expose of the growing ties Batten is forging with the amusingly named but highly dangerous ‘Football Lads Alliance’ (a group set up by a hooligan to co-ordinate anti-Muslim sentiment amongst violent football gangs) is deeply concerning. At a violence strewn rally in Sunderland two weeks ago, Batten (according to Sky) spoke in support of their racist diatribe.

It gets worse, there have also been discussions regarding UKIP and Tommy Robinson, convicted fraudster and criminal who founded the English Defence League (EDL).

Batten said he would approve of Robinson joining and bring the EDL constituency with him into the membership.

Of course, this fits nicely with Batten’s extreme views inspired by American Steve Bannon (sacked by Trump because he was too right wing) though he denies meeting him, Batten’s new policies announced at conference are simple Bannon regurgitations that even Trump hadn’t the stomach for.

It gets worse, The Guardian reported that on June 22, three far right internet provocateurs were welcomed into the party, bragging they would swamp UKIP with their own supporters.

Far right journalist Milo Yiannopoulos, who had been made to resign as an editor from Steve Bannon’s far right ‘Brietbart News’ organisation because of his increasingly provocative views, was also welcomed to the UKIP fold.

So if you think you’re supporting a party of men in tweed jackets and caps, think again.

Little wonder James Ashington is excitedly jumping up and down at the prospect of a Farage return to save him, or perhaps he agrees with Gerrard Batten and his neo Brownshirt friends – which is it James?

ALLAN RALSTON Callands