UKIP were accused yesterday of trying to rebrand themselves as champions of the NHS yesterday after supporters were caught nicking the logo of an anti-privatisation campaign. 

The Keep Our NHS Public (KONP) group poured scorn on Nigel Farage’s party for using its logo on a new “Ukip friends of the NHS” Facebook page. 

KONP co-chairwoman Prof Sue Richards called on Ukip to remove the logo immediately, saying the party is “totally opposed to the principles Keep Our NHS Public was founded on.” 

When the Facebook page was founded by Ukip supporters on Monday, the campaign group’s logo was posted along with a founding statement. 

The statement described the purpose of the page was to “dispel the myth that Ukip would privatise the NHS.”

But Prof Richards added: “Our members — many of whom work in our NHS — are extremely angry that a political party would use such underhand tactics in a feeble attempt to rebrand themselves as champions of the NHS.

“We call on Ukip to remove our logo and issue an apology.”

KONP pointed out that Mr Farage and deputy leader Paul Nuttall have both been caught on camera calling for the privatisation of the NHS. 

In October 2012, Mr Farage stated: “I think we are going to have to move to an insurance-based system of healthcare.”

And Mr Nuttal has said: “I want to see more free-marketpolicies introduced into the NHS. This is where it has to go.” 

The spat comes after veteran Labour MP Dennis Skinner humbled new Ukip MP Mark Reckless in Parliament on Friday, pointing out he can’t claim to support the NHS when he wants to deport many of its workers.