Douglas Carswell just appeared Radio 4, telling the Today programme:

“Well there are one or two rather excitable staffers in Ukip who came up with a proposal that involves hiring 15 extra people, and you know, I would just point out that I’m not an American Senator. I doubt very much that even Ed Miliband when he was leader of the opposition would have had 15 staff in his office. I would much rather deal with this now than in a years’ time face awkward question from journalists like you phoning up and saying why on earth are you spending the best part of a million pounds running an office? Ukip’s meant to be different, and Ukip is going to be different, and I think we need to make absolutely clear that when we spend money we’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do, not just simply because the money’s there.”

He added that “I’m confident, absolutely certain that Nigel will see the good sense of this,” and pledged his loyalty to the leader:

“I can think of lots of people who could do the job far better than me and there are only 24 hours in a day. I can’t be leader of Ukip, run the Ukip operation in Westminster, represent my Clacton constituents, and be a dad and a husband, and I’m not prepared to compromise on the last 3.”

That should calm things right down…