Is UKIP funding its own opposition?

Taken from Tom Wise's website:

Tom Wise MEP in the European Parliament Ind - Dem Group UK Independence Party UKIP Eastern Region Region

"UKIP members will have been bitterly disappointed to learn that Libertas will be fielding candidates in the UK in next year's Euro elections. With the party struggling electorally, and being regularly beaten by the far-right BNP, morale in the branches is at its lowest point. A high profile, well funded, alternative slate of candidates is the last thing that UKIP needs.

Today Declan Ganley, president of Libertas, and Jens Peter Bonde, president of the pan-European EU Democrats (EUD), issued a joint statement concerning the possibility of a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty in Ireland.

It is this alliance that should raise serious questions as to exactly what is going on.

With a number of EUD officials being employed as members of the Independence & Democracy group, of which UKIP is the largest delegation, we need to ask if UKIP is, indirectly, funding its own opponents: each IND DEM UKIP MEP contributes directly to Ind Dem funds. During a recent visit to the European Parliament, Mr Ganley was attended to by a number of officials from Ind Dem, and the EUD. Bonde was, of course, until recently the co-President of Ind Dem.

The European Parliament is known to have launched an investigation into this misuse of Parliament staff, and not for the first time: Bonde was previously investigated following revelations that his wife's news agency, EU observer, was employing staff on contracts supplied by Ind Dem. These were taxpayer funded staff that should have been working for MEPs, not for a private company.

During a lunch with Ganley, Nigel Farage made a strong statement about the credibility of the eurosceptic movement, singling out the Anti-Maastricht Alliance, saying that it was time for something new. This was seen by many as a prelude to a shift in position away from withdrawal, possibly in concert with Ganley. Following the Libertas announcement, however, Farage was highly critical of that party, dismissing them as campaigners that are "against the Lisbon Treaty as long as the Irish are". Where does UKIP stand now? The party leader has elevated contrarianism to new heights by seemingly distancing himself from both the old and new eurosceptic movements. If there is a repositioning away from unconditional withdrawal, then he will also distance himself from his own membership".