The news that Gerrard Batten, Ukip’s leader, has appointed Tommy Robinson as a “personal special adviser” appals me.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has a long criminal history including several spells in prison. He was instrumental in founding the thuggish anti-Islam group known as the English Defence League. Perhaps most importantly, his appointment could have a negative impact on the fragile state of Brexit.

Today, the UK stands on the brink of national disaster partly because our dishonest prime minister has not been held to account sufficiently in her dealings with Brussels. Millions of voters are furious at the way the political class has betrayed them. And yet Ukip, the one force which could and should have kept Theresa May in check to guarantee a clean Brexit, has under Gerrard Batten become obsessed with another set of issues altogether.

Batten appears fixated on the thoroughly unappealing Tommy Robinson. Wherever Robinson goes, he attracts ruffians. Violence never seems to be too far away from any of his events. Yet Batten continues to push the Robinson cause, despite the fact that the Ukip NEC recently and sensibly made clear they did not want a ballot of the members to allow Robinson to join.