Ukip's biggest financial backer Arron Banks has announced that his membership of the party has been suspended.
But there was confusion over his claim, as a Ukip spokesman said that the millionaire businessman's membership had lapsed earlier this year after he failed to renew it.
Mr Banks, who funded the Leave.EU campaign in last year's Brexit referendum, gave £1 million to Ukip ahead of the 2015 general election.
But he has been sceptical about the leadership of Paul Nuttall and has recently spoken of founding a new political movement to "drain the swamp" of Westminster politics.
In a public spat with Ukip's only MP, Mr Banks has suggested he could stand against Douglas Carswell after using a recall petition to trigger a by-election in his Clacton constituency.
Writing on Twitter, Mr Banks said: "Understand my Ukip membership has been suspended. Interesting times lie ahead ..."