Ukip supporters are convinced Nigel Farage's defeat is a conspiracy
Ukip members claim Thanet South vote was rigged
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
Less than 48 hours after its leader conceded defeat, Ukip supporters have taken to Twitter to vent their frustration at their failure to capture the South Thanet seat - by declaring it was all a set-up.
Angry kippers have used the hashtag #Thanetrigged to accuse the establishment of all sorts of electoral shenanigans to get Nigel Farage out - citing the unusually long time for the votes to be counted and their success in the local elections as evidence.
Farage lost by 2,812 votes to the Conservative candidate Craig Macinklay despite the party gaining a 13 per cent vote share across the country.
But despite this failure Ukip gained overall control of Thanet council in the local election results on Friday - its first in the country.
They have jumped on a tweet sent by Spectator columnist Isabel Hardman tweeted at 12:30am on election night that Farage may have lost, six hours before the votes were counted, as “proof” the result was a foregone conclusion.
The conspiracy comes despite claims from the man himself that he had lost the poll.
Speaking to Kent Online on Friday he said: "I knew the result yesterday [Thursday]. I could see the wards in Broadstairs were 80% turnouts and people queuing to vote. I spoke to people and they were saying 'look Nigel, we love you but we can't have Nicola Sturgeon running the country.’”
But who knows? Maybe they were just Conservative hired shills disguised as Thanet voters.
The truth is out there.
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