Solitary Ukip MP leaves the party

UKIP has lost its only MP after Douglas Carswell quit declaring “job done”.

His resignation was met with claims by senior Ukip figures that he has been trying to undermine the party and that he resigned before he was kicked out.

But the Clacton MP, who said he does not have to call a by-election as he will sit as an independent rather than joining another party, stated: “The idea that I was involved in some sort of subterfuge or some sort of covert operation is nonsense.” He said he has not spoken to former Ukip leader Nigel Farage since around December.