At the height of the explosive UKIP row over Short money, Nigel Farage outbid Douglas Carswell by insisting that UKIP would not take a penny of the £650,000 to which the party is entitled:

“I’m going to recommend that we don’t accept any of it. Given we’ve had an argument over this, I don’t want UKIP to look like other parties, grubbing around after public money.”

Funny then that Carswell is advertising for a new speechwriter on a whopping £60,000. Rather a well-paid job for a party that is supposedly skint…

Guido understands that UKIP have rejected Nigel’s recommendation and agreed to accept some Short Money, though Carswell says the sum is significantly less than £650,000 per annum to which they are entitled. If they are happy to blow sixty grand on a glorified parliamentary researcher, it looks like they’ve trousered a hefty whack.

Ousted Mark Reckless has meanwhile landed a job as the party’s new policy chief, as Guido revealed he would in May. He is said to be being paid “out of Electoral Commission funds” – suggesting UKIP have received a Policy Development Grant, which are “awarded to help parties in developing policies to include in manifestos”. This is also public money, paid in addition to Short money.

From un-resigning, to un-sacking, to un-not ‘grubbing around after public money’…