Has Ukip spoiled Christmas for itself by landing in hot water over a breach of copyright on its official festive card?

Answers were being sought from the anti-EU party after an image by political cartoonist Christian Adams was selected by Nigel Farage himself to appear on the card.

Adams' work regularly appears in the Telegraph newspaper - a title which is a sort of spiritual home for many a Ukip supporter.

Awkwardly however, it seems nobody in Ukip bothered asking permission to print the copyrighted image on thousands of cards due to be posted across Britain.

It was easy to see why Ukip thought Adams' picture would make for a most apposite image at this time of year, following its election success in Clapton and Rochester, Kent.

Adams' picture shows Ukip leader Nigel Farage flattening the leaders of the three biggest parties in a white van – just like the one Labour Mp Emily Thornberry thought was interesting enough to tweet about during the Rochester and Strood by-election.

But the cartoonist himself pointed out the big problem on Twitter:

This oversight has led to the Telegraph unleashing its syndication goon squad upon Ukip for Farage's error, according to Adams.

Being hounded by heavies from the paper which is probably the closest of all broadsheets to many of its members cannot be ideal for Ukip.

However it seems Adams may be imbibing the spirit of good will by following up on Twitter with a message which stops way short of alleging full blown copyright theft.

But one wag on the social media website pointed out an even deeper horror in the fiasco than Ukip not getting permission to use a copyrighted image.