The frontrunner to succeed Nigel Farage as leader of the UK Independence party could be at risk of being disqualified from the election after it emerged he had failed to keep up his membership.

Those hoping to succeed Mr Farage, who resigned earlier this month, need to have been Ukip members for the last two years in order to be eligible to stand in the contest.

But the Telegraph has seen evidence that suggests Steven Woolfe, a Ukip MEP since July 2014, let his membership lapse from December 2014, and only paid for it to be renewed this March.

The North-West England MEP contributed just £175 to his party’s coffers during that time, according to an internal log of donations seen by the party’s National Executive Committee.

The money came in April when he bought a ticket for a fundraising lunch held at Lord’s Cricket Ground, but Ukip MEPs normally donate substantial sums to the party.