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‘Carswell doesn’t fit with UKIP’

Rift is widening in UKIP political circle

Nigel Farage’s former chief of staff, Raheem Kassam, has said that UKIP’s sole MP doesn’t fit in with the party and is using UKIP to be an independent MP.

Kassam was Farage’s right hand man during the campaign trail, gaining access to the inner workings of UKIP. He was constantly seen with Farage but he left during the inner strife that engulfed the party shortly after the election.

John Douglas Wilson Carswell, first elected Member of Parliament for the UK Independence Party (AFP photo)

Kassam wants to see Carswell play a more active role within UKIP instead of serving as a more independent MP. He believes that Carswell is using UKIP for his own gains and that the former Tory MP is not seeking what is best for UKIP. He said that he is “not getting the sense that he wants” to help UKIP.

“I think he sees UKIP as a way of being an independent, whereas actually the way of being an independent is to sit as an independent MP...When he talks about his priorities for the parliament, he's not talking about UKIP's priorities, he's talking about his priorities for this parliament."

Kassam said believes that Nigel Farage has a big role to play in the EU referendum campaign, saying that he “appeals to working class voters all across the country like no Tory can and no Tory does.”

Raheem Kassam, Nigel Farage’s former chief of staff. 

But Kassam has sensationally distanced himself from Farage in a very public manner, saying he deeply regrets his time working for the UKIP leader. He said, “I totally regret it. Every minute…I don’t mean it was a horrible experience. But I’ve taken a big hit for nothing. The only good thing that’s come out of this are friendships ... But have I got anything else apart from looking at much of UKIP and thinking you are just a bunch of ragtag, unprofessional, embarrassing people who let Nigel down at every juncture? No.”

UKIP are reeling from the very public inner fractions that have portrayed the anti-immigrant party as bitterly divided and out of touch. Farage said he would resign from his post as UKIP leader but he is staying on as he seeks to rally against Britain’s membership of the EU.

LM/SKL


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