UKIP has a rule that they do not go on the many copious junkets that are on offer to MEPs. Alarm bells started to ring on May 16, when David Campbell Bannerman went on a trip to Taiwan, telling his party staff it was on private business. But a photo has popped up showing what he was really up to, as a guest of the Taiwanese Government, paid for by the “European Parliament Friends of Taiwan Group”:

Campbell Bannerman lined up with Tory MEPs Geoffrey van-Orden, Martin Callanan, Charles Tannock and Roger Helmer to meet the President. As the rice wine flowed, words of encouragement were dripped into the former Bow Group chairman’s ear. By the end of the trip, DCB was won over, and he went straight to CCHQ for a photo-op as soon as he touched down back in London :

Though there is very little love lost from seasoned Ukippers, there are mutters about Campbell Bannerman’s word and reputation forever being dirt. All their MEP candidates had to sign up to a code of conduct. Clause 7 has particularly grated them:

“Our MEPs will be expected to… remain as members of UKIP for the full 5-year term or otherwise retire from the Parliament.”

There is also a pending employment tribunal that is with the lawyers. Guido understands DCB kept that one quiet with his new friends…