The British National Party received more cash than UKIP in the third quarter of the year thanks to legacy donations, figures show.

A single bequest of £94,428 meant the BNP received more than twice the amount in donations than Nigel Farage's party between July and September.

The donation, declared in the latest Electoral Commission figures, was the full estate of John Lintell, and is among just over £1m left to the party by legacy donors in the last five years - £202,224 in the last year alone.

BNP deputy leader Clive Jefferson says it is a result of encouraging people to leave money to the party in their wills.

The party's website suggests people should give money to the BNP and not "let the government traitors get your legacy".


Image: The BNP website encourages people to bequeath their estates

It provides advice on ways to bequeath money and suggested wording for people to contain in their wills.

Mr Jefferson told Sky News: "That (legacy donations) has become very popular with committed patriots as a way of fighting after they have gone."

He added that people were increasingly leaving their full estates to the BNP, and said the party was "putting a lot of resources into it and helping people to do something really worthwhile".

Mr Jefferson said Brexit had fuelled a surge in membership and that the party was now a "resurgent force".

He said it had taken control of its first council this year and that membership numbers to be released at the end of the year would show a "significant" surge.

Image: Former BNP leader Nick Griffin

The BNP lost its two MEPs in 2014, blaming the demise on the rise of UKIP. The then leader Nick Griffin said at the time: "We're out tonight but we'll be back.

"We set the agenda, we're the ones who broke the taboo about immigration - we've allowed UKIP to do what they've done but when people see they don't deliver their votes will crumble."

It comes amid speculation of a resurgence of the far right on the political landscape.

UKIP is facing its own funding challenges. The Electoral Commission figures show it received donations of just £42,943.04 between July and September. Of that only £9,500 was cash - the remainder was in services.

It is a significant collapse since the hundreds of thousands poured into the party around the General Election.

It has been exacerbated by the departure of Mr Farage. The party's main donor, Arron Banks, has said he will stop funding the party. He had donated £1.3m in the last 18 months.