Camilla Long’s Have I Got News For You appearance causes problems for Ukip

After Camilla Long claimed on last Friday’s Have I Got News for You that she had spent more time in South Thanet than Nigel Farage, the Ukip leader failed to see the funny side. In fact such offence was taken by party members that one of his team took the unusual step of calling in Kent Police. The police have since rejected the complaint and word now reaches Steerpike that fractions are forming in the party over whether it was wise to report the incident in the first place.

‘We didn’t report her,’ insists a source close to the leader. Instead they say that they merely ‘reported the incident, which is her comments plus the BBC airing them’. Meanwhile the party’s legal team declined to comment on the failed attempt, while a Ukip source sarcastically says: ‘If a private citizen believes a crime has been committed, they probably have a duty to report it to the police.