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The infighting within Ukip Wales has descended to a new level with a former National Assembly candidate claiming the party is being manipulated by Mormons.

David Edwards , Ukip’s former candidate in Clwyd West, referred to the religion of the party’s MEP Nathan Gill disparagingly in a series of messages on Twitter.

At the weekend Mr Edwards posted a series of tweets alleging that the Mormon Church had a malign influence on Ukip. One said: “The same old suspects trot out to defend Nathan Gill. Employees & Mormons, basically one in [sic] the same.”

An email has also emerged from June this year in which Gareth Bennett, the Ukip AM for South Wales Central, wrote to a colleague about a pro-Leave campaign event planned for Queen Street, Cardiff, stating: “He [Neil Hamilton] is effectively the Welsh leader now, not Gill, who will probably be doing his Mormon stuff in Anglesey”.

A spokesperson for Mr Gill, who is facing heavy criticism over the fact he has not relinquished his seat in the European Parliament since being elected to the National Assembly, attacked his critics for using his religion against him.

They said: “Bitter feuding in the party as well as ongoing harassment and abuse has led to the breakdown of the Ukip Assembly group with the Ukip Wales leader parting from his elected colleagues to sit independently.

“It has now revealed some worrying prejudices from those within the party against individuals’ private religious beliefs.

“There should be no room in British politics for anybody exhibiting vitriolic small mindedness and appropriate action should be taken against those publicly maligning people of differing religious creeds”.

Mr Gill has remained a Ukip MEP despite now sitting as an Independent in the National Assembly.

An Assembly insider said: “These comments straddle a fine line between offensive and outright bigotry and will be hugely embarrassing to Neil Hamilton [Ukip’s Assembly leader and a critic of Mr Gill].

“The UK prides itself on religious tolerance, which makes the terminology being used to describe the Mormon faith so jarring.

“Perhaps Neil Hamilton can explain whether he shares Mr Edwards’ view that Mormons are all prone to ‘manipulation and nepotism’.

“Frankly, since the Hamiltons arrived his party has turned into a complete shambles and the atmosphere around the Assembly has got a whole lot more poisonous.”

In May, Ukip’s David Edwards was was defeated by his brother-in-law, sitting Conservative AM Darren Millar, in Clwyd West.

Another of Mr Edwards’ tweets stated: “It’s a shame you are not more concerned by the behavior [sic] of members of the Mormon Church.”

Accused by other tweeters of showing prejudice and bigotry, Mr Edwards responded: “Not bigoted in the slightest. Just appalled at the blatant nepotism & skulduggery shown by the group.”

He also accused Mormons of “nepotism, manipulation and the systematic undermining of colleagues”.

Mr Edwards was challenged on Twitter by Ethan Wilkinson, a Mormon who works for Mr Gill as an accredited assistant on his European Parliament payroll: “What evidence do you have of this? This is an outlandish claim and wholly stereotypical of an entire religion”.

In another tweet, Mr Wilkinson said: “Another example of religious discrimination in Ukip Wales. For a libertarian party, this is all becoming very authoritarian.”

A spokesman for the UKIP Assembly Group said: “UKIP AMs recruit staff in accordance with Assembly guidelines.

"Unlawful discrimination, whether positive or negative, is not tolerated.

"A person's religion is neither a recommendation for nor disqualification from employment.

“As he is no longer a member of the UKIP Group, you must ask Nathan Gill to explain whether he takes religious affiliation into account in his staff recruitment policy as an AM and MEP.”

In relation to the Gareth Bennett email, he said: “The statement in an e-mail by Gareth Bennett did not disparage Nathan Gill's Mormon beliefs but merely surmised that he would be at his religious devotions in Anglesey on a Sunday and unable to attend a meeting in Cardiff.”