Ukip at war again as two more leadership candidates put themselves forward

Suzanne Evans attacks a 'far right' rival - while Paul Nuttall insists he is the 'unity' candidate

Suzanne Evans declared herself a leadership candidate, warning Ukip risks becoming a Donald Trump-style party (Getty)

Ukip’s bitter leadership wars broke out into the open again as two more candidates set out their stalls to head the crisis-hit party.

Suzanne Evans, a former head of policy, and Paul Nuttall, a North West MEP, both vowed to hold the Government's feet to the fire on Brexit if they are chosen by party members.

But the announcements were overshadowed by fresh accusations and counterblasts which again laid bare how Ukip is riven by feuding factions.

Ms Evans used her bid to warn that Ukip must shed its "toxic" image and risks becoming a Donald Trump-style party under the leadership of Nigel Farage and his allies.

She targeted leadership rival Raheem Kassam – who is backed by the Farage wing of the party – as a "far-right" candidate who would take Ukip away from the concerns of ordinary voters.

Ms Evans told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "Our future as a political party in Britain does not lie in that far-right wing. I don't see a groundswell of opinion in this country for more far-right wing policies.

"I don't see a groundswell of opinion for the right to bear arms in America."

The backlash was swift, with Mr Kassam accusing Ms Evans of a “project fear tactic” and of spreading "smears".

He denied he was "far-right", adding: “When she does things like this, it really undermines her, it undermines her campaign and it is an attack on a lot of the party members.”

Mr Farage also hit out at Ms Evans' remarks, saying: "For her to talk about the party being toxic, for her to already declare one of the candidates who is running, Raheem Kassam, as being far-right, I don't view this as being a very good start."

On Saturday, Mr Kassam - a former aide to Mr Farage who sold “Brits for Trump” T-shirts online – won the backing of Ukip’s biggest donor, insurance tycoon Arron Banks.

Today, he was also alleged to have deleted a tweet, in the summer, which urged someone to “tape Nicola Sturgeon’s mouth shut. And her legs, so she can’t reproduce”.

Meanwhile, Mr Nuttall tried to strike a conciliatory tone by pitching himself as the "unity" candidate – while warning the party was threatened by an "existential crisis".

He told the BBC's Sunday Politics: "I have huge support out there across the country, not only among people at the top of the party in Westminster and with the MPs, but also among the grassroots.

"And I want to stand on the platform of being the unity candidate - Ukip needs to come together.

“I'm not going to be on here and gild the lily, Ukip at the moment is looking over the edge of a political cliff, it'll either step off or it will step back.”

The new Ukip leader will be announced on 28 November, with nominations to replace Diane James closing on October 31.

Steven Woolfe, the frontrunner in the leadership contest, quit the party last Monday, branding it “rotten at heart” and ungovernable without Mr Farage at the helm.

That followed an alleged attack by another MEP in the Strasbourg Parliament, after which he ended up in hospital.