Make Britain Great Again: How Ukip tried to ride the Trump wave – and it ended in disaster

Luke Nash-Jones joined Ukip in 2016, when he said he found a “sort of camaraderie” with fellow members and a sense of belonging.

He told The Independent that following Mr Batten’s arrival as leader, senior figures became “very enthusiastic about Tommy Robinson” and wanted to use social media to draw in more members.

Nash-Jones, who has since left Ukip and sought deradicalisation support, said that all the administrators of the Make Britain Great Again (MBGA) page were Ukip members during the period.

The connection between MBGA and Ukip became clear when the party suspended three members, including Nash-Jones, who were involved in an incident at a socalist bookshop in August 2018.

Nash-Jones was later ejected from Ukip, but said he already wanted to resign and showed The Independent several emails and messages to senior members including Mr Batten expressing concerns over extremism.

Angela Christofilou/The Independent.

Angela Christofilou/The Independent.

Angela Christofilou/ The Independent.

Angela Christofilou/The Independent?

Angela Christofilou/The Independent

Angela Christofilou/The Independent

Angela Christofilou/The Independent

Angela Christofilou/The Independent

Angela Christofilou/The Independent

Angela Christofilou/The Independent

Angela Christofilou/The Independent

Angela Christofilou/ The Independent

Angela Christofilou/ The Independent

Angela Christofilou/ The Independent

Angela Christofilou/ The Independent

Angela Christofilou/The Independent

In June 2018, Ukip welcomed three far-right internet personalities as members - Paul Joseph Watson, Mark Meechan (known as Count Dankula) and Carl Benjamin (known as Sargon of Akkad)

Later that month, a Ukip spokesperson told The Independent the party had gained hundreds of new members since they joined

Speaking to The Independent in December 2018, Lord Dartmouth, a hereditary peer and former MEP who quit Ukip, said Batten had “completely hijacked Ukip and turned it into an anti-Islamic party”

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