Nigel Farage is escalating his war on Ukip’s only MP, but he claims it’s not about that knighthood
Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage has escalated his war with the party's only MP, accusing Douglas Carswell of "damaging" Ukip, the Brexit campaign – and Farage himself.
Carswell, who participated in the official Vote Leave campaign, has been at the centre of reports relating to Ukip's hopes of securing a knighthood for Farage. Carswell has denied moving to block the honour.
However, Ukip's former boss today maintained Carswell, who defected from the Tories in 2014, had been trying to undermine him "all through the referendum".
"He will do anything he can to damage leading figures in Ukip…he's working for the Conservatives. It's plain for all to see," Farage said, adding that he had been trying to evict Ukip's sole MP from the party since December 2015. Carswell responded by telling the Guardian that he is "Ukip 100%".
Read More: Should Ukip just dissolve itself?
Ukip has gone to war with itself over the last week, as it reacts to leader Paul Nuttall's failure to win the Stoke-on-Trent by-election, despite it being branded "the capital of Brexit".
Farage ally Arron Banks, a major donor to the Leave campaign, is demanding to be appointed as chair of the party in a bid to lead a "total rebrand" of the party.
Banks has also promised to seek to expel Carswell, although Farage today denied the ongoing dispute was linked to his failure to secure a knighthood.
The former Ukip leader claimed he did "not particularly" want the honour.
And a peerage? The anti-establishment Farage said: "I would not want a peerage. If something else came along I might accept it…"
Farage stepped down as Ukip leader after the Brexit vote, saying: "I want my life back."