Michael Crick: Ukip would have liked that money a bit earlier

Michael Crick is in the spin room ahead of the leaders debate in Westminster today. He is discussing that big donation from Richard Desmond to Ukip.

Nigel Farage will be happy tonight, he says, but they would no doubt have preferred it a few weeks ago as there is a limit as to what you can spend that money on at this late stage of the campaign. There is also a reputational issue as Mr Desmond made his fortune with selling pornographic magazines and running a pornographic channel.

However he adds that wasn’t a problem for Tony Blair and the Labour party when he was one of their donors. Interestingly he also points out that although Ukip are not currently allowed to nominate peers – but that could change after May and if it does Britain could well have a new “press baron”.