The talk radio station LBC has admitted a “regrettable and inexcusable error” after its presenter James O’Brien breached broadcasting rules in the run-up to the Clacton byelection, which was won by Ukip.

Although O’Brien did not mention Nigel Farage’s party by name in the broadcast on the day of the election on 9 October, he did refer to “an anti-immigration party is poised to win a seat in a constituency where there aren’t any immigrants”.

Media regulator Ofcom said the reference would have been “clearly understood by listeners as a reference to Ukip” and amounted to “discussion and analysis” of the vote when the polls had opened, which is prohibited under UK broadcasting rules.

The sad thing is that, in the main, they say what we think.