UKIP has ordered its candidates to close their social media accounts, according to minutes of a meeting with the party’s chairman Paul Oakden. The notes began with the words “Remember do not put this online – that’s forbidden! The notes MUST NOT be put on social media”. They were naturally leaked to Guido.

The minutes quote Oakden as saying UKIP “will survive without [Arron Bank’s] money”, disclosing “four major donors” are now backing the party and “another £100,000 is pledged”. The document is full of warnings to ‘Kippers to stay away from social media and reveals deep concern within the party around online message discipline: “NO-ONE is to go online and say negative things about UKIP – it is pointless…”. Stoke is also described as “a serious black hole of degradation”…

Please see my attached notes from Sunday. We shall give Paul Oakden the benefit of the doubt and look forward to the big changes which are promised. Remember do not put this online – that’s forbidden!

UKIP Regional Chairmen’s Meeting

The notes MUST NOT be put on social media…

Aaron Banks is not a UKIP member… He’s not given any money since the General Election… Alan Bown is the key donor of UKIP and bailed us out in the autumn of 2016… Stuart Wheeler [is] another key donor…

Richard Billington: Many people said quietly to me that it is a good job we didn’t win as Stoke is a serious black hole of degradation. Let the crazy and quite unpleasant Labour MP have the seat with its much reduced majority…

Paul Nuttall was not persuaded to enter the by-election. A poll was taken many weeks beforehand where the consensus was that standing Paul would increase the turnout for UKIP by 5% which would have been enough to win. It was always going to be close…

Paul Oakden hates social media. All Candidates should close their accounts. It just causes more grief…

Paul Nuttall is supported by 4 major donors. If Paul stays as leaders and he will, another £100,000 is pledged…

The party has not received any money from Aaron Banks in the last 12 months…

His money is useful but UKIP will survive without his money…

We are happy for Aaron to be involved…

Setting up a new party is fraught with difficulties. It is not going to happen..

We should all stay off social media…

Paul Oakden hates social media. All Candidates should close their accounts. It just causes more grief.

NO-ONE is to go online and say negative things about UKIP – it is pointless…

Aaron Banks tweets were not helpful or necessary…