UKIP chickened out of an invitation to a debate on the justice system hosted by the Prison Officers Association (POA), it was revealed at the union’s annual conference yesterday.

POA national chairman Pete McParlin said the far-right party had declined to attend a cross-party talk that was be held at the POA’s conference in Southport.

Mr McParlin said privatisation-mad Ukip told the POA that they wouldn’t attend because "they feared they would be ambushed by the POA.”