Kilroy party in TV 'dirty tricks' row

Robert Kilroy Silk's bid for a political comeback became mired in a "dirty tricks" row today after it emerged his UK Independence Party was plotting to infiltrate BBC's Question Time to support him.

The former chat-show presenter is due to make his return to TV this Thursday when he appears on the Question Time panel as a UKIP candidate for the Euro elections.

But the Evening Standard has learned that UKIP campaigners have told supporters to pack the show's audience.

Question Time has strict rules on the political balance of its audiences, particularly during an election campaign.

Mr Kilroy Silk, whose Kilroy show was taken off the air after his remarks about Arabs being "limb-amputators", is standing for the party next month.

An email from the anti-Europe party's campaign office states: "We urgently need articulate members to be in the audience for the above event. BUT DON'T LET ON YOU'RE UKIP!"

The party came under fire when its supporters heckled rival candidates during BBC Radio 4's Any Questions programme on Friday.

The Liberal Democrats today attacked UKIP's tactics. "It's clear dirty tricks to sway a BBC programme," a party source said.