Ukip has gone to war with the Times over a story about Nigel Farage's use of taxpayer cash, arguing that many of its journalists have links to the Conservatives and come from "immensely privileged" backgrounds.

In an unusual step, Farage fought back against the newspaper's story alleging he misused EU parliamentary allowances by claiming it was "politically motivated" and the newspaper was a tool of the establishment.

The party then published a list of Times journalists, some of whom had been involved in the story and others who simply work at the newspaper.

"Perhaps it will not surprise you to know that most have family or personal connections to the Conservative party and that the majority are from immensely privileged backgrounds that have enabled them to prosper as part of the 'chumocracy' run by David Cameron," the party said.

Some of its criticisms were that the journalists were "privately educated" or had family members who were Tories. At the top of the list, it singled out Lord Finkelstein, a Conservative peer who is also a columnist and is close to George Osborne and Cameron.

Rebuffing the suggestion, Tim Montgomerie, the newspaper's comment editor and a former editor of the ConservativeHome website, tweeted: "Did you see the Times splashes calling for Maria Miller [the Conservative former culture secretary] to resign?"

Meanwhile, Finkelstein mocked the list by tweeting: "Mine is best I think, though Alice [Thomson's] 'the wife of the nephew of' is funniest."

The Times had reported that Farage was claiming around £15,500 a year – or £1,300 per month – for office running costs of utilities, business rates and insurance, when a former office manager said these only amounted to about £250. The former manager, David Samuel-Camps, later claimed he has been misquoted and the figure was higher, with overall office costs of around £700 per month. Even in this case, the figure is still below what Farage has claimed under the heading of "office management and running".