Ex-ukip chairman sues over crackers expenses

A former Ukip chairman is suing the party over cream crackers in a row about unpaid expenses. Christopher Spalding is taking legal action against his local branch claiming it owes him £93.20 expenses – including for cheese-flavoured crackers.

He refused to accept a £70 offer from Ukip’s Rochester and Strood constituency office in Kent.

He was previously told by Roy Freshwater, the constituency chairman, the expenses could not be paid as they were not “appropriately authorised”. Mr Freshwater said: “I wasn’t surprised he brought this forward – he wants the publicity.”