Night of the long knife for UKIP in Thurrock? Following their council defeat last night, the party has announced that their parliamentary candidate in South Basildon and East Thurrock has been deselected. Kerry Smith told his local paper he is “in the dark” about the decision, which a UKIP spokesperson says is an “internal matter”. A UKIP source tells Guido they do not have a big name lined up to replace him, rather that Smith “was not the right man” to fight the seat. Curiouser and curiouser…

UPDATE: Smith tells Guido:

“Obviously they are covering up what they’ve got planned. If I was a bad boy they would have put something in writing. I really don’t know. If you’re going to hang someone out to dry you would have the cross ready made.”