Internal chaos has once again gripped the utterly useless UKIP party as one of its more colourful MEPs, Nikki Sinclaire, quit the Euro parliamentary group of which her party is a member, citing her unwillingness to be associated with “extremists” and a breakdown in her relationship with parliamentary leader Nigel Farage.

“With effect from 18 January, I shall move from the EFD Group in the European Parliament to the Non-Attached Group. The latter is composed of non-aligned MEPs, independent of each other,” Ms Sinclaire wrote in a public resignation letter.

“I have decided to move to this non-attached group as I have found it increasingly difficult to justify sitting alongside one or two of the European parties within the EFD Group who have a variety of extremist views which includes anti-Semitism, violence and the espousal of a single European policy on immigration. One of these parties, Liga [sic] Nord which was expelled from the previous Ind Dem Group, currently holds the Group Presidency jointly with UKIP,” Ms Sinclaire said.

“In addition, a particular difficulty has arisen for me with the prospect of EFD joining a PAN-European Party whose aim is Party enhancement within the EU rather than extraction from it, to which I am implacably opposed.

“My working relationship and trust with EFD Co-President, Nigel Farage has broken down since his personal admittance to me recently that he wished I had not been elected. The comment ‘I wish I had only 12 not 13 MEP’s [sic]’ was made to many people in the aftermath of the European Elections. I have found this personal animosity difficult to work with.

“I would also like to point out that on a pre-arranged interview on the BBC West Midlands Politics Show, Mike Nattrass and I had to spend two thirds of the time defending our membership of the EFD Group and Nigel’s public remarks made about leadership candidates ‘not being credible’,” Ms Sinclaire wrote.

Informed sources say that at least one more UKIP MEP is set to jump ship from the EFD group as well in protest against Mr Farage’s continued support for that pro-EU grouping, a position which clearly contradicts what is supposed to be the foundation of the UKIP party.

Ms Sinclaire is one of UKIP’s longest standing activists, and came third in the recent UKIP leadership competition. She also drew media attention during the 2005 UK general election campaign, when she was arrested after refusing to leave a public debate, “Queer Question Time” to discuss issues related to the homosexual and transgender community.