UKIP’s ‘Neanderthal’ Comms Director Axed in Latest Party Row

UKIP’s Director of Communications, the former BBC producer Paul Lambert, has today been dismissed as the row around an internally staged coup against leader Nigel Farage continues.

Over the past 36 hours, a war of words has been waged, which began with UKIP’s only MP Douglas Carswell, as well as Member of the European Parliament Patrick O’Flynn hitting out at what was regarded as ‘Team Nigel’.

O’Flynn described individuals in Mr Farage’s close circles as “wrong ‘uns” and insisted they were taking the party in an “aggressive” direction. Some in Mr Farage’s camp hit back, and have since claimed that Mr Lambert, also known as ‘Gobby’ due to his inability to control his outbursts, was in on the coup alongside Messrs Carswell and O’Flynn.

Mr Lambert was recruited by the party, having been tapped up by the Head of Broadcast Alexandra Phillips, another press officer whose position is looking increasingly untenable. Mr Lambert and Ms. Phillips are both former BBC personnel, which has led to arguments about their suitability inside UKIP, an organisation often treated with hostility by the BBC.

A source close to Nigel Farage told Breitbart London: “Gobby’s sacking has been on the cards since almost the day after he joined the organisation. He’s been described by the party leadership as one of the worst hires the organisation ever made. He was out of his depth, and conducts himself in a manner befitting a neanderthal.”

Mr Lambert’s behaviour is often parodied across Westminster, with senior BBC producers describing him as “not the sort of person you’d trust in a crisis”. He is known to be at war with senior BBC figures over his departure, and found himself on the peripheries of UKIP’s general election campaign.

One source recalls, “Gobby wasn’t invited to the count in South Thanet on election night. He turned up anyway, stalking the campaign’s war room and distracting the activists who were trying to help turn out UKIP’s vote for Nigel Farage.”

The row inside the party continues, though Mr Farage has called out his critics, urging them to consider whether they belong in the UK Independence Party or not. His performance on BBC Question Time was widely praised, and he has stated that his party will continue to move forward, despite the internal sniping.