Tory MP Douglas Carswell switches to UKIP

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Tory MP Douglas Carswell has defected to the UK Independence Party and will stand down as MP for Clacton to seek re-election in a by-election.



If he wins the by-election he will be the first UKIP MP to take a seat in Westminster.

The maverick Eurosceptic backbencher said he wants to "shake up" the cosy Westminster "clique".

He unveiled his surprise announcement at a news conference in central London.

He told reporters he did not believe Conservative leader and Prime Minister David Cameron was serious about the change we need".

He said the decision to jump ship from the Conservatives had given him "sleepless nights" but he wanted to see "fundamental change in British politics" and UKIP - a party he believed belonged to its members rather than a "little clique" of political insiders - could deliver it.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who this week was selected to fight South Thanet at the 2015 general election, said it was the "bravest and most honourable" decision he had ever seen in British politics.

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he wants to "shake up" the cosy Westminster "clique".

Who's he kidding?

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Ukip poised to inflict humiliating defeat on Tories in Clacton by-election



Ukip is poised to inflict a humiliating by-election defeat on the Tories in a result that leader Nigel Farage said would signify a 'landslide' in British politics.

The vote, which is set to take place in October or November, was triggered by the defection by Douglas Carswell from the Conservative Party. He said that he would resign his Clacton seat and fight the ensuring by-election under Ukip’s banner because he had become disillusioned with Prime Minister David Cameron's stance on Europe

And a Survation poll for the Mail on Sunday released today gives Mr Carswell and Ukip a massive 44 point lead over David Cameron's party.

It put Ukip on 64%, with Mr Carswell's former party on 20%, Labour on 13% and the Lib Dems on 2%.

Mr Farage has predicted that a win would result in "more and more people coming over to us".

Mr Farage told the Sun on Sunday the stakes were high in the contest for the Essex seat.

He said: "This is the moment. If we win the by-election in Clacton, it will create a landslide in British politics.

"If we lose, then selling ourselves as a party that can win a significant number of seats will get a lot harder."

Mr Farage added: "If Douglas wins this by-election, then there will be more and more people coming over to us. We could end up holding the balance of power by next May."

That was "utterly dependent" on the Clacton result, he said, but added: "I'm going to keep playing double or quits until I lose. But if I win three more hands, we'll be out of the EU and a free country again."

Of those voting Ukip, 57% said they were doing it because they liked the party. 34% said they were doing so because they liked Carswell, and 9% were doing so as a protest vote.

Immigration was Ukip voters main reason for choosing the party, with 47% describing it as their main concern. The EU accounted for 13%, with cost of living, jobs and health all accounting for less than 10%.

"There is a massive appetite out there for change."

According to the poll of 700 voters, Labour were on 13%, and the Lib Dems had 2%.

Of those that identified themselves as Tory voters, 49% said they considered Mr Carswell to be a hero. Only 17% thought him a traitor with the remaining 35% saying that they didn’t know.