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The internal war raging within Ukip was laid bare last night in a car-crash TV appearance from Nigel Farage .

Asked about the deepening rift between him and the party's only MP, Douglas Carswell, he replied: "who cares?"

It came as Farage faces accusations that public infighting will damage the 'out' campaign in the EU referendum.

Farage has given his backing to 'independent umbrella group' Leave.EU, set up by major Ukip donor Aaron Banks.

Yesterday Tory Lord Lawson said he would lead the Conservative 'Brexit' campaign.

But the outspoken Eurosceptic peer said he would not share a platform with Farage in the run up to the referendum.

(Image: AFP)

Farage was quizzed on the BBC's This Week programme by another famously Eurosceptic Tory, Michael Portillo , who argued Ukip's part in the campaign was doomed from the start.

He said: "When your party is at war with its only MP, that's a horrible way to begin. You just look like a bunch of infighting twits."

On the alleged conflict between him and Carswell, Farage said: "So what? Who cares? Even if that's true it's irrelevant.

"The divisive figure today was Lord Lawson, who said I won't work, I won't share a platform with Ukip. I would not share a platform with Leave.EU. I think everyone should come and join the Conservative campaign. How does that work?"

Farage then took fire from host Andrew Neil, who suggested the Ukip leader was "having more fun knocking spots out of each other" rather than people campaigning for Britain to stay in the EU.

Farage replied: "We are saying we'll work with anyone, it's a bunch of snobby Conservatives who won't work with us."

An exasperated Portillo finally offered Farage some comradely advice, suggesting he should "stop talking about snobby Conservatives, you need to make alliances."

(Image: SWNS)

The rift between Farage and Carswell became an open sore at Ukip's conference last week, when the MP openly rowed with millionaire Ukip Donor Aaron Banks, the man behind the Leave.EU group.

Read More: Labour blasts Nigel Lawson for leading Britain out of EU campaign from home in FRANCE

Banks was forced to apologise for calling Carswell "borderline autistic" after the MP was "appallingly rude" to him, and failed to give the umbrella group his backing.

Farage declined to comment on the spat, but earlier suggested Carswell, who defected from the Conservatives before May's general election may have some "residual loyalties" to his former party.