Yesterday, there were suggestions that part of the delay was due to concerns over the handling of £118,000 of donations. The Sunday Times reported that, although the cheques were declared to the Electoral Commission, they did not pass through the party's four main bank accounts.

But both Mr Farage and John Whittaker, the party chairman, insisted yesterday that the money had been properly processed.

Mr Farage said the money had gone into a fifth bank account set up to fight the 2005 general election campaign in "certain areas". "The money is not missing. It never was. That £118,000 had already been reported to the Electoral Commission and was all valid."

Mr Farage also insisted that a party call centre in Ashford, Kent, had been properly run.

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