Yes it’s true there is a great battle going on between the Westminster-based Vote Leave and the Bristol-based Leave.EU.
I have maintained a studied neutrality on this question for several months now. And I have tried repeatedly to help broker a merger between the two.
Indeed last Friday I sat in a room where Arron Banks made a direct offer to John Mills, then Chairman of Vote Leave.
Mr. Banks said both should merge, John Mills should become chairman of the new group and Matthew Elliott could become the Chief Executive.
But once again the offer was roundly rejected.
I know that Vote Leave do not want to discuss the immigration issue, and whilst I accept that the trade and jobs argument is important, all polling shows that open borders and our future security are the keys to winning this vote.
I was further alarmed to hear Dominic Cummings, Vote Leave’s campaign director, tell a group of UKIP MEPs that a double referendum might be the way to get some senior figures into the campaign.
The idea that we should win a referendum on leaving the EU and then be offered better terms to vote a second time to become associate members appalls me and I could not countenance working with anyone who suggested that idea.
My greatest fear is that if Vote Leave were to win the Electoral Commission designation that they would then betray us by adopting this tactic.
The unmentioned in the last couple of weeks is the huge progress being made by Grassroots Out. I am now on my way to our second event in Manchester where there will be Tory MPs including David Davis, Labour’s Kate Hoey, myself and Louise Bours from UKIP and John Boyd, who has worked for many years with the trade union movement
This campaign now has momentum and 2,300 people have bought tickets to come tonight.
I was disappointed that the press went in Strasbourg this week. Will they be in Manchester?