UKIP's new logo looks strangely familiar

UKIP – still, unaccountably, a going concern – have struggled to gain column inches in the post-Farage era. Nick Tenconi, its ninth leader in 10 years, is barely a household name in his own household.

Now the party, which has pivoted to an extreme Christian sect under Tenconi’s leadership, has rebranded itself, submitting a new logo and slogan to the Electoral Commission. That slogan is “The New Right” and the logo is a cross, albeit one painted black, so bearing a remarkable similarity to the Iron Cross, the German military decoration for bravery widely associated with the Nazi period.

The party has denied any association, insisting that “our new logo features the holy lance, the Eucharist and the Cross Pattée, to show UKIP’s commitment to reinstate Christianity into the heart of government”.

“The Templar Cross/Cross Pattée is a powerful Christian symbol that symbolises spiritual victory and sacrifice,” the party said in a statement.

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“The Cross Pattée has been featured throughout British history and is used as the Victoria Cross, sits on the crown of our monarch, and is also found within the parliamentary logo. Are critics suggesting that the King, Parliament and our war heroes are all Nazis?

“It is outright offensive, ignorant and Christophobic to suggest that the Cross Pattée is a ‘Nazi symbol’. The Cross Pattée is displayed throughout Christian religious texts and these efforts to slander us with vile allegations is simply religious bigotry and discrimination.”

The party is debuting its new branding later this month, when Tenconi, an oddball public schoolboy with a weird preoccupation with drag queens, plans to lead a “walk with Jesus” event in Whitechapel, the East London borough with a no doubt coincidentally large Muslim population.

“Christ is king,” the party proclaims. “All the glory and honour to him.” They’ve certainly come a long way from when their main manifesto promises were making taxi drivers wear uniforms and making London’s Circle line circular again.