Immigration Police Raided a UKIP Party Dinner

It was all going down in Bournemouth for UKIP last Friday night. The results of the right wing party's leadership contest were announced, with Diane James scooping the top spot and Nigel Farage celebrating his resignation as leader with a skinny dip off the pier.

And for second-place candidate Lisa Duffy? Well, all she really wanted was a quiet Rogan Josh and a cold Kingfisher.

But Duffy and her commiserating campaign team got more than they bargained for when they headed to one of Bournemouth's curry houses to drown their sorrows in beer and bhajis.

According to reports from members of Duffy's team, immigration officials raided the Indian Ocean restaurant to check the papers of the staff, causing the chef to flee the kitchen.

A spokesperson for the party, which is known for its tough stance on immigration and controversial campaigning methods, told the Associated Press: "Politics can sometimes be such a stale and serious affair, so you have to see the funny side of things. In this case too, I couldn't help be tickled by the irony."

Happily, the owner of Indian Ocean was able to provide the correct paperwork and no action was taken against the restaurant.

Holding employers responsible for immigrant staff members without valid visas forms part of the new Immigration Act, which came into force in July. It aims to take a tougher line on illegal immigrants in the UK, which many say will prompt further unannounced raids such as those carried out by burger chain Byron earlier this year.

This could well be to the disadvantage of the food industry. Last year, the founder of the British Curry Awards, Enam Ali, called on the Government for more short-term work visas to solve Britain's deficit of South Asian chefs. And post-Brexit, many in the food and drink industry worry that migrant worker shortages will leave UK restaurant kitchens understaffed.

Get those bhajis while you still can.