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Last year 1,000 protesters massed at Ukip's conference amid sky-high polls and Tory defections.

Things were a bit different this year.

Rows of chairs lay empty in the hall in Doncaster after chiefs slashed ticket prices to £20 a day .

There was standing room only for Nigel Farage's speech - but come the next morning, the once-bustling media room was quiet as delegates milled around with coffee cups.

It's the same story many times over for the protest.

Just 20 or so activists made it out to central Doncaster to rail against Ukip's alleged 'racist' policies - which the party, including its candidates from ethnic minorities, insists are nothing of the sort.

So who was this hardcore band? We paid them a visit and asked them to write down why they were there.

Dave Banks

Age : 52

Job : 'I do car boot sales'

"I'm disgusted Ukip are having their conference in my town. Doncaster is a working-class town. We don't need Ukip coming in here trying to divide us.

"They blame the migrants, they blame the refugees, but the crisis was caused by the rich bankers."

Tim Jones

Age : 46

Job : Mental health campaigner

"We need to show solidarity because there's been very little since the closure of the pits in '84, '85.

"When there's an economic slump people are always looking for someone to blame. Once it was the Jews and now it's the Muslims and refugees."

Jane Sharp

Age : 35

Job : Unemployed due to disability

"I'm a humanist, I don't see the colour of people's skin, and I don't want racists coming to my town.

"I can't stand Nigel Farage and as for Katie Hopkins, I hope someone punches her in the face. I can't stand the ugly witch."

Stephen Porter

Age : 30

Job : Chef

"Ukip have been for a long time the only people who've wanted to come to Doncaster. It's a safe Labour seat so other parties don't bother.

"They're trying to fill that gap and it just shows how broken the system is that no party will even try."

Joshua Webley

Age : 23

Job : Railway engineer

"A girl I was talking to said she was coming so I only found out about it last night.

"I think Ukip are racist and they're trying to draw working-class votes away from Labour."

Ann Bayley

Age : 37

Job : 'Home educator to my 7 children'

"Nigel Farage is so hypocritical. He appeals to the working class but he's wealthy himself.

"He's more Tory than the Tories. I wish he'd disappear back under the rock he came from."

Zak Cochrane

Age : 30

Job : Anti-racism campaigner

"I came all the way from my home in Tottenham, north London. Last year we had 1,000 but I think this time the focus is on the Tories and Manchester.

"But we still have to focus on Ukip. People are trying to ape their views. They haven't gone away."

Lani Ball

Age : 21

Job : Student

"I think they're a vile party taking advantage of people in hard times and relying on the vulnerable.

"When I heard Katie Hopkins was at the conference I genuinely thought it was a joke."

Mev Akram

Age : 26

Job : College lecturer

"I stood for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition in May. It's about telling the ordinary people in Doncaster that we don't want this here.

"Farage is telling us he's standing up for British workers but it's Farage's mates in the city screwing them over."

And here they all are