Gerard Batten has resigned from the transnational Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy EFDD group, led by Farage, and including Italy’s Five Star Movement. MEPs sit in transnational ideological groups in the European Parliament, alongside like minded parties from other countries. Speculation is mounting that he may join Marine Le Pen’s Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF) group…

The UKIP leader said in a statement:

“I hereby resign membership of the EFDD Group with immediate effect. It is not possible for me to remain in the Group when the President of the Group Mr Farage launches continual attacks on me and UKIP in the UK media.”

UPDATE: A co-conspirator in Brussels gets in touch:

Rumour is that the paperwork by which Gerrard Batten has applied to put Tommy Robinson on his EU staff payroll has gone in. Is that the catalyst for Farage and Nuttall finally walking away?

UPDATE II: Sources close to Nigel say that they don’t know if it is true and in any event it is was not the catalyst.

UPDATE III: European Parliamentary sources get in touch to remind Guido that in order to get on the EP payroll you have to pass a criminal background check. Tommy Robinson has been in prison multiple times and would likely not be accepted…

UPDATE IV: Batten is telling friends that he has not made any plans to hire Tommy Robinson for the European Parliament job.