Farage has become ‘snarling’ Ukip leader

Nigel Farage has become a “snarling, thin-skinned, aggressive” man who is turning Ukip into a “personality cult”, the party’s campaign chief has said in a stunning attack on his leader.

In an interview with the Times, Ukip economics spokesman Patrick O’Flynn (pictured below, right) said Mr Farage (pitured left) was no longer the “cheerful, ebullient, cheeky, daring” politician of recent times.

And he claimed the Ukip leader’s behaviour risked the party being seen as an “absolute monarchy”, blaming Mr Farage’s “aggressive” and “inexperienced” advisers.

Mr O’Flynn called for Mr Farage to adopt a “much more consultative and consensual leadership style”.

The comments come after Mr Farage was widely mocked for resigning as leader after failing to win the South Thanet seat he stood for in the general election, only to be reinstated three days later after the party’s national executive committee rejected his resignation.

Osborne wants devolution for English cities

English cities must now take control of their own affairs, the chancellor will say later today in his first major speech since the general election.

“The old model of trying to run everything in our country from the centre of London is broken,” George Osborne is expected to say.

“It’s led to an unbalanced economy. It’s made people feel remote from the decisions that affect their lives. It’s not good for our prosperity or our democracy.”

Above: Manchester town hall (Getty Images)

He will say to places outside London: “I say to these cities: it is time for you to take control of your own affairs.”

The chancellor will promise “radical devolution” for cities to allow them to grow their local economies under the proposed cities devolution bill, to be included in the Queen’s speech later this month. It will form part of the so-called “northern powerhouse” vision.

Manchester’s 10 councils agreed last year to a mayoral election for the area – two years after Manchester voters rejected the idea of a city mayor.

Mr Osborne has previously said that devolution must go hand in hand with the establishment of an elected mayor.

Milburn attacks Labour’s ‘ghastly experiment’ under Miliband

Former Labour health secretary Alan Milburn has called for a leader from the new generation of MPs to break with the party’s past, while criticising Ed Miliband’s “ghastly experiment” of the past five years.

He told BBC’s Newsnight: “Frankly, we’ve been through a pretty ghastly experiment over these last five years where our offer has been that the public have moved massively to the left following the global financial crisis, when actually, when you look at issues like immigration or Europe, arguably they have moved the other way.

“We need a new generation untainted by the past to solve those problems.”

Meanwhile, Labour’s leadership candidates have begun to set out their visions of how they see the party recovering from a disastrous general election to win in 2020.

Yvette Cooper (pipctured right) and Andy Burnham (pictured middle) yesterday joined Liz Kendall and Chuka Umunna in the race to replace Ed Miliband, with the leader to be announced on 12 September before the Labour party’s annual conference.

I’m putting my name forward to stand for leader of the Labour Party. Here’s why: http://t.co/2ZNbZEYyLJ @UKLabour

— Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) May 13, 2015

The leadership battle could heat up with Tristram Hunt the only other widely touted rival yet to announce his candidacy.

Ukip infighting: The party’s ongoing wars explained

• Georgia Graham georgia.graham@itn.co.uk

Senior figures are taking public swipes at “snarling, thin-skinned” Nigel Farage and the party’s finances are being dragged through the papers, so how did Ukip get here?

It may have got four million votes in the general election, but the ongoing war of words in Ukip is threatening to convince already sceptical voters it is not a party that can hold itself together.

WE TAKE YOU THROUGH THE PARTY’S ROCKY HISTORY

Farage’s advisors ‘kids who think they are in the West Wing’

Patrick O’Flynn: Nigel Farage is surrounded by ‘wrong ‘uns’

The Ukip economic spokesman says that he is launching a coup against Nigel Farage. He says the Ukip leader is “my political hero and he will remain so”.

He told Sky News: “He has done amazing things and I have been a loyal supporter of his leadership all along but he has unfortunately fallen, a couple of people in his inner circle who are … wrong ‘uns in my view, and are trying to influence him in a direction that is neither productive for Ukip nor even more importantly at the moment the general campaign to get Britain out of the EU.”

He adds that Ukip must put the party into the centre ground.

Mr O’Flynn also hits out at other members who want to “peddle” US import policies like scaling back the NHS and “liberalising gun laws” for “their own ends”.

The Conservative Home website is quoting a “UKIP official and leading Faragiste” who has turned their guns on O’Flynn:

“O’Flynn is a totally inexperienced campaign director and a candidate who struggled to retain his deposit, getting just 5.2%. 

“A scribbler with a single tier education he struggled as Economics spokesman , trying to impose envy taxes and was keen on Red Ken Livingstone’s idea of a turnover tax on companies.”

Stuart Wheeler tries to pull of second leader coup

• Gary Gibbon Political Editor

Nigel Farage leaves the party’s HQ in Mayfair this morning

Stuart Wheeler on BBC Radio 4’s World at One is trying to repeat a trick he pulled off back on 22 October 2003 when he pitched up on Radio 4’s “Today” programme to say that Iain Duncan Smith had outstayed his welcome as leader.

Back then, Mr Wheeler’s intervention was the key brick pulled out of the wall. Back then, Mr Wheeler even managed to see the candidate he most wanted to see replace Mr Duncan Smith, installed as leader, Michael Howard. Today he wasn’t specifying who he wanted to take over.

Mr Wheeler said Mr Farage should’ve “remained resigned until the Autumn” but that now he had mis-judged his non-resignation there were a lot of reasons why he should disappear from the leadership.

Mr Wheeler said Mr Farage’s combative style could be a voter repellent in the EU referendum which many UKIP figures are now focused on. There’s long been a section of long marchers in UKIP who think Mr Farage himself got distracted by the UKIP phenomenon and is prone to lose sight of the original driver of the cause he helped to found: exiting the EU.

George Osborne: no powers without mayors

Chancellor George Osborne is giving his first speech since the election and reveals that his Cities Devolution Bill will be in the Queen’s Speech later this month.

Speaking in Manchester he is outlining plans to give English cities powers over housing, transport, planning and policing.

Ukip civil war: latest

• Georgia Graham georgia.graham@itn.co.uk

Nigel Farage earlier today

Ukip is in full on turmoil this afternoon with high profile figures split down the middle – some backing Nigel Farage to the hilt and some backing the apparent coup attempt launched this morning to oust him.

In the wake of accusations from senior figures that he is one of the figures leading Nigel Farage in the wrong direction Matt Richardson,the UKIP party secretary has resigned. His resignation will now be considered by UKIP’s NEC.

Nigel Farage’s election strategist, the other aide who has been widely discussed this morning, Rahem Kassam is staying on. Mr Kassam, who flew to America last night for a post-election holiday told The Telegraph that Mr O’Flynn and others had timed their coup to coincide with his break.

He said: “This isn’t them versus me, this is them versus Nigel. They see his body armour has gone so think ‘let’s have a pop’,” Mr Kassam told The Telegraph.

“In the fullness of time our side of the story will be heard in full. I’m not going to stoop to their level. This is an elected MEP [Mr O’Flyn] attacking back office staff. It is unprecedented.”

Nigel Farage himself is keeping his head down. Asked if Ukip is now in turmoil he replied: “I don’t think so.”

“If the NEC unanimously backs me it is not my fault,” he added as he arrived at the party’s headquarters in London.

Nigel Farage loyalists hit back

• Georgia Graham georgia.graham@itn.co.uk

Arron Banks, the Ukip donor has hit out at election campaign manager Patrick O’Flynn for calling Nigel Farage “snarling, thin-skinned, aggressive” and launching a “coup d’etat”. He Mr Farage should instead be having a nice rest after a long election.

“The truth is that Carswell got 25,000 votes but Nigel got four million. The rank and file members know that. Nigel got 99.6 per cent of the total votes to Carswell’s 0.4 per cent.

“Patrick needs to look at himself before he goes around criticising others. They should let Nigel have a holiday after a long hard election rather than plotting a coup d’état.”

Meanwhile Stuart Wheeler, former Ukip treasurer, has been on the World at One to suggest that Douglas Carswell would make a better leader than Nigel Farage.

Dappy backs Norman Lamb for leader of the the Lib Dems

• Georgia Graham georgia.graham@itn.co.uk

Dappy performs at The Isle of Wight Festival last year

The rapper has officially backed Norman Lamb, the former health minister, for leader of the the Lib Dems. Obviously.

I bet the former N-Dubz singer is not making any promises about eating that hat if Norman doesn’t swing it though.

Ukip founder says it’s time for ‘toxic’ Farage to go

• Georgia Graham georgia.graham@itn.co.uk

Alan Sked has told The Telegraph that Nigel Farage has moved the party too far to the right and alienated all of their middle class voters.

He told The Telegraph: “Farage has been in charge officially and behind the scenes for 15 years and he’s never got anywhere. He’s never got elected as a British MP and he’s made the party a toxic brand in Britain.”

David Cameron elevates two former advisors to Lords

• Georgia Graham georgia.graham@itn.co.uk

Rt Hon Francis Maude – former Cabinet Office minister

Ros Altmann CBE – former older people tsar and now pensions minister

George Bridges – former Conservative campaign director

Andrew Dunlop – former special advisor on Scotland

Jim O’Neill –  influential economist who will become commercial secretary to the Treasury.

David Prior – stepping down from his position as Care Quality Commission chair to become a minister.

Ukip Deputy Leader Paul Nuttall: Farage is best communicator in British politics

UKIP Deputy Leader Paul Nuttall MEP: “The general election was a great success delivering 4 millions votes in the bag. The 2020 vision is on course.

“UKIP have the best communicator in British politics leading this party and who will play a vital role during the referendum campaign.”

Raheem Kassam, key Farage adviser, leaves Ukip

Raheem Kassam, who is on holiday in America, changed his Twitter bio to ‘wrong ‘un’ a dig at Patrick O’Flynn who has attacked close aides of Nigel Farage

Raheem Kassam, a senior adviser to Nigel Farage, has left Ukip, the party’s leadership has confirmed.

Mr Kassam has said that his contract was always going to expire at the end of the month and Ukip say that this is not being renewed.

Asked if his is disappointed by the news, he told Sky News: “No, not really. Jobs are jobs. They come and go.”

Jeremy Hunt: Thanks to my ‘fav Lib Dem’

The Health Secretary has given a shout out to his former care minister Norman Lamb – or as he describes him, his ‘fav Lib Dem.

I’m sure it will be the ringing endorsement Mr Lamb is looking for as he campaigns to become the next Lib Dem leader.

Nick Clegg parties with out going Lib Dems

• Georgia Graham georgia.graham@itn.co.uk

Last night the former Lib Dem leader joined three hundred defeated Lib Dems in at a party at Pembroke Lodge in Richmond Park.

Apparently he enjoyed the evening immensely, at one point leading a Lib Dem conga, and now this picture has emerged.

Ukip civil war: who is attacking who?

Despite winning nearly four million votes in the general election, Ukip seems intent on tearing itself apart.

Here’s our guide to who’s said what about who

Who are the Ukip ‘Wrong ‘uns’?

• Georgia Graham georgia.graham@itn.co.uk

Patrick O’Flynn has stamped on a hornets nest this morning creating what appears like all out war in Ukip ranks. His fury, prompting a Times article and Sky News appearance seems to stem from his dislike of a few of Nigel Farage’s inner circle and his fears that they are taking the party in the wrong direction.

Earlier today he said: ” I have been a loyal supporter of his leadership all the way along but a couple of people in his inner circle – for want of a better term – they are wrong ‘uns.”

But just who are they?

Raheem Kassam

Nigel Farage’s closest and most senior adviser Raheem Kassam who was one of the few people to have the Ukip leader’s ear throughout the campaign.

He is a former managing editor of the right wing news website Breitbart and a member of a series of right-wing think tanks and organisations, he was hired by Farage last year.

A man who favours ‘shock and awe’ tactics, he was personally thanked by Farage and is almost certainly one of the ‘wrong ‘uns’ Mr O’Flynn was referring to.

Ukip have just announced that they are not renewing his contract.

Matthew Richardson

Ukip party secretary Richardson offered his resignation earlier today after O’Flynn’s stunning criticisms.

As one of the aides known to be part of Farage’s inner sanctum he is a contributer to what Mr O’Flynn calls the “Tea Party tendancy” in the party.

Like Kassam he was a member of the Young Briton’s Foundation a training ground for future right wing politicians.

Chris Bruni-Lowe

The Ukip resident data expert and staright talking South Londoner who defected to the party from the Conservatives with Douglas Carswell.

The man behind the effective by-election campaign in Clacton he was at Mr Farage’s side throughout the election. He has been quiet today and so far there has been no news of a resignation or an end of contract from Ukip office so he may yet be spared from the bloodbath.

Ukip faithful roused to back Nigel Farage

• Georgia Graham georgia.graham@itn.co.uk

The Ukip head office are bombarding inboxes with messages of support for Nigel Farage, they are coming in thick and fast.

These have come through in the last half hour alone. 

Richard Desmond – Owner of the Express Newspapers and founder of Northern Shell says “Nigel has my support 101%.”

Ko Barclay – UKIP Donor and Director, KOIAN Limited​: “Votes for UKIP are up from 3% to 13% of the votes since the last election, UKIP are now the third force in politics – it’s important that this momentum is kept up.

Lord Pearson of Rannoch – Leader of UKIP in the Lords: “Nigel fought a brilliant election campaign and what an achievement it was to get nearly 4 million votes. Nigel has my full support as leader. “​

Mary Creagh declares Labour leadership bid

Mary Creagh

The shadow international development secretary announces she is standing in an article for the Mail Online.

The Labour MP for Wakefield becomes the fifth MP to declare for the leadership since Ed Miliband stepped down after the party’s defeat in last week’s election.

Yvette Cooper, Andy Burnham, Chuka Umunna and Liz Kendall have already declared their intention to stand.

She writes: “On election morning I received an email from a small business owner in Hove. ‘If your lot do win today, please don’t annihilate the private sector and economy’.”

Then Shadow Transport Secretery Mary Creagh stands with Ed Miliband last year

Women in Labour: will this pregnant pause ever end?

• Cathy Newman Presenter

It’s a very strange thing, but the party which, at its first ever parliamentary meeting, deemed that women’s suffrage was a priority, which led the charge on the Equal Pay Act, and which introduced all-women shortlists has never succeeded in electing a woman as leader.

There have been deputy leaders of Labour aplenty. But so far, it remains an embarrassment to a party with equality at its core that a full quarter of a century after Britain’s first female prime minister left Downing Street, Labour has only ever been led by men.

If Nigel Farage falls on his sword (again), even UKIP could end up pipping it to the post with a female leader.

So for many Labour MPs it’s a matter of urgency to get a woman elected this time round.

So what are their chances?

Nigel Farage ‘facing coup’ over Ukip leadership

George Osborne: no mayor, no northern powerhouse

Yvette Cooper becomes fourth named contender for Labour leadership

Yvette Cooper today became the latest Labour MP to declare her candidacy for the party leadership. She did so during a visit to the Midlands constituency of North Warwickshire – where Labour failed to win last week.