Daily Express owner’s financial pledge suggests stable of newspapers will back Nigel Farage’s party at 2015 general election

Richard Desmond makes £300,000 donation to Ukip

Daily Express owner Richard Desmond has thrown his financial support behind Ukip, pledging £300,000 to Nigel Farage’s party less than five months before the general election.

The six-figure donation suggests that Desmond’s stable of newspapers – the Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star and Daily Star Sunday – will back Ukip ahead of the vote next May.

Their endorsement would be a significant coup for Farage’s party as it seeks to build on the two by-election victories following the defection of Tory MPs, Mark Reckless and Douglas Carswell.

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