Douglas Carswell slams 'dark forces' within Ukip after discovering blackmail plot against him
Mr Carswell says he received a phone call from a party figure who asked 'grossly intrusive questions' about his marriage
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Ukip’s only MP has hit out at the “dark forces” within the party after learning of a “blackmail plot” against him to make false claims about his private life.
Douglas Carswell, the Clacton MP who defected from the Conservatives last year, told the Mail on Sunday he had received a phone call from a party figure who asked “grossly intrusive questions” about his marriage.
It came shortly after a huge public row with party secretary Matthew Richardson about how to spend £650,000 of taxpayers money that Ukip were entitled to after May’s election.
Now he said secretly recorded conversations among Ukip figures making claims about his personal life had begun to circulate around his constituency.
Carswell, 44, says the allegations were untrue and he refused to be silenced by threats.
It comes just days after he called for party leader Nigel Farage to step down and give Ukip a “fresh face” after they performed poorly in the Oldham by-election caused by the death of Labour MP Michael Meacher. In response Farage told Carswell to “put up or shut up”.
Carswell has clashed frequently with his party’s negative attitude towards immigration and has pledged his support to a different Eurosceptic campaign to Farage in the run up to the EU referendum which is expected to take place next year.
Richardson has denied any knowledge of a threatening phone call saying: ‘I did not use threatening language against Douglas. He was the one who got angry.’
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments