Guido hears that Victoria Ayling, who stood as one of UKIP’s top candidates in 2015, the 2016 Sleaford by-election and sat on UKIP’s NEC, has re-joined the Tories after quitting the party by personally telling David Cameron at the 2013 Conservative Party Spring Forum.

Ayling, known for such hits as “I just want to send the lot back, but I can’t say that” and “What happens when renewable energy runs out?”, has re-joined the Tories under her maiden name Victoria Brooks. Her mother claimed that Ayling joined the National Front in 1977 and attended meetings above a pub in Croydon.  Meanwhile well-liked moderate former UKIP MEP and one-time Tory councillor Steven Woolfe is still being refused membership.

Guido understands she has obtained a pass and intends to attend Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham at the end of this month. Maybe she’s turned over a new leaf after attending one of Brandon’s re-education courses…

Remember those UKIP NEC members who quit in protest at Steven Woolfe being kept off the ballot? Well, they’re unresigning. Victoria Ayling and Mike McGough, who backed Woolfe in the dispute, angrily resigned from the NEC last week. Yet an email sent by party chairman Paul Oakden today says:

“Victoria Ayling has now confirmed to me that she has decided to withdraw her resignation from the NEC. As such, she should now be included in all future NEC correspondence.”

And McGough could follow suit:

“I have also spoken to Mick McGough who understands that he is still a member of the NEC, and who has said he will confirm his intentions with regard to his potential resignation by the end of the week. He too should be included in all future NEC correspondence until he has confirmed his decision to me.”

Important for the Farage faction to have as much NEC support as they can get. So they’ve taken a leaf out of his book…

UKIP candidate Victoria Ayling:

“What happens when renewable energy runs out?”