The cross-party pro-EU group “British Influence” – backed by Danny Alexander, Kenneth Clarke and Peter Mandelson – has written privately to a charity to ask for their help campaigning against UKIP in the European elections next year. That despite campaign director Joe Coney knowing this to be a breach of strict laws against charities getting involved in party politics. He wrote “We realise that your charity status means that” – as a charity you – “can’t campaign…”.

As Guido revealed in yesterday’s Sun on Sunday, inevitably the email leaked to UKIP and now party chairman Steve Crowther has asked the Charity Commission to investigate. All British Influence will say is that “This was just a clumsily-worded email”.