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| Ex-UKIP party secretary Matt Richardson returns to role | Ex-UKIP party secretary Matt Richardson returns to role |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| One of the senior UKIP figures who was forced to resign after in-fighting in the party following the general election has returned to his job as party secretary. | One of the senior UKIP figures who was forced to resign after in-fighting in the party following the general election has returned to his job as party secretary. |
| Matt Richardson has been reinstated to the role after UKIP's national executive committee approved it. | Matt Richardson has been reinstated to the role after UKIP's national executive committee approved it. |
| The move is likely to be greeted with criticism from some in the party who attacked him and a circle of advisers around Nigel Farage in the wake of UKIP's failure to win more seats in the election. | The move is likely to be greeted with criticism from some in the party who attacked him and a circle of advisers around Nigel Farage in the wake of UKIP's failure to win more seats in the election. |
| In a brief statement to the BBC, UKIP said: "Matt has resumed the role... by law any constituted political party must have a party secretary who is a qualified lawyer." | In a brief statement to the BBC, UKIP said: "Matt has resumed the role... by law any constituted political party must have a party secretary who is a qualified lawyer." |
| The decision has echoes of Nigel Farage's resignation - and swift reversal of that decision - after he failed to become an MP in South Thanet. | The decision has echoes of Nigel Farage's resignation - and swift reversal of that decision - after he failed to become an MP in South Thanet. |
| Mr Richardson was one of two key advisers who left in May. | Mr Richardson was one of two key advisers who left in May. |
| The other adviser who was forced to leave, Raheem Kassam, has returned to his job as a journalist at Breitbart News Network. | |
| But he continues to meet Nigel Farage and speak out publicly on his behalf. | But he continues to meet Nigel Farage and speak out publicly on his behalf. |
| 'Dragging him down' | 'Dragging him down' |
| The pair of advisers were at the centre of internal fighting in UKIP after the party's election chief and economy spokesman Patrick O'Flynn launched a very personal attack on Nigel Farage. | The pair of advisers were at the centre of internal fighting in UKIP after the party's election chief and economy spokesman Patrick O'Flynn launched a very personal attack on Nigel Farage. |
| He told The Times newspaper that during the election UKIP's leader had appeared to be turning into a "snarling, thin-skinned, aggressive" man. | He told The Times newspaper that during the election UKIP's leader had appeared to be turning into a "snarling, thin-skinned, aggressive" man. |
| Mr O'Flynn subsequently resigned. | Mr O'Flynn subsequently resigned. |
| Some senior figures, including Mr O'Flynn, blamed Mr Richardson and Mr Kassam for persuading Nigel Farage to adopt a more outspoken tone during the election campaign, with similarities to the Republican-linked Tea Party in the US. | Some senior figures, including Mr O'Flynn, blamed Mr Richardson and Mr Kassam for persuading Nigel Farage to adopt a more outspoken tone during the election campaign, with similarities to the Republican-linked Tea Party in the US. |
| One told the BBC that they were "dragging him down". | One told the BBC that they were "dragging him down". |
| The party's only MP was also critical of Mr Richardson's role in a row over whether the party should take £650,000 a year in "short money", which opposition parties are entitled to. | The party's only MP was also critical of Mr Richardson's role in a row over whether the party should take £650,000 a year in "short money", which opposition parties are entitled to. |
| Douglas Carswell said Matt Richardson had come to him with a plan to recruit more than a dozen staff in his parliamentary office, something which the Clacton MP rejected. | Douglas Carswell said Matt Richardson had come to him with a plan to recruit more than a dozen staff in his parliamentary office, something which the Clacton MP rejected. |
| Nigel Farage has since replaced another prominent figure from the election campaign, Suzanne Evans, as UKIP policy chief. The former MP Mark Reckless is now in that role. | Nigel Farage has since replaced another prominent figure from the election campaign, Suzanne Evans, as UKIP policy chief. The former MP Mark Reckless is now in that role. |
| She had defended Patrick O'Flynn as "brave" following his comments and her future in the party is still unclear. | She had defended Patrick O'Flynn as "brave" following his comments and her future in the party is still unclear. |
| There was also a shake-up in the party's press operation, with the director of communications departing and a new senior press spokesman appointed. | There was also a shake-up in the party's press operation, with the director of communications departing and a new senior press spokesman appointed. |
| The former BBC producer Paul Lambert left the communications role after the election and no replacement has been announced. | The former BBC producer Paul Lambert left the communications role after the election and no replacement has been announced. |
| Mr Farage also appointed a new senior press spokesman, elevating Michael Heaver to the job. | |
| The BBC has approached several senior figures in UKIP for comment on the re-appointment but none of them responded. | The BBC has approached several senior figures in UKIP for comment on the re-appointment but none of them responded. |