UKIP ordered to pay £175,000 in legal costs over defamation case brought by Rotherham MPs

The party has been instructed to pay the money towards the costs incurred by Labour's Sir Keven Barron, John Healey and Sarah Champion.

COURT: Jury out in case of man accused of raping Sheffield woman weeks before schoolgirl murderThe interim payment order comes just days after UKIP's leader Gerard Batten issued a plea for cash for the party.

COURT: Gunmen on the run after shooting in Sheffield city centreAt an earlier High Court hearing it was ruled that the party took a 'deliberate, informed and calculated' decision to ensure that the defamation action brought by Rotherham's three Labour MPs against UKIP MEP, Jane Collins, should not be settled before the 2015 General Election.

In a joint statement the Labour MPs said: "UKIP's actions behind the scenes forced the costs of this case to soar and compounded the damage from Jane Collins' unfounded and hurtful allegations.

"This deliberate strategy hugely increased the legal costs and it is right that UKIP are today held liable for a large share of these costs

"UKIP used the unfounded allegations by Jane Collins for political advantage.

"At the highest level UKIP knew Jane Collins' case was hopeless but blocked any settlement in our favour before the 2015 General Election because they believed it would win them votes."

Earlier this month UKIP leader Mr Batten said the party had to raise £100,000 by the end of March.

He wrote to all local UKUP groups across the country to ask them divert any funds they have in their coffers to the central party 'purely for operational needs', the Sun reported.

He said that without the cash injection 'the future of the party itself is in question'.

A UKIP spokesman said: "Our lawyers are dealing with the matter."