UKIP gains Westminster MP after Tory defection

United Kingdom Member of Parliament Douglas Carswell resigned from the Conservative Party on the 28 August 2014 and defected to the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP). He also quit as the MP for Clacton, saying he would contest the subsequent by-election for UKIP.

The Eurosceptic MP said that he did not believe Prime Minister David Cameron was 'serious about the change we need' in Europe.

A second Conservative Party MP Mark Reckless defected to UKIP on the 27 September 2014.

Following this move, the eurosceptic group of the Conservative party applied renewed pressure on Mr Cameron, amid reports that up to 100 of his MPs would promise to vote for Britain's withdrawal from the EU after the 2015 general election.

Blog: Open Europe, 28.08.14: Douglas Carswell defects to UKIP: A Clacton by election could change the general election result http://www.openeuropeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/douglas-carswell-defects-to-ukip.html

BBC News, 25.08.14: Tory MP Douglas Carswell defects to UKIP and forces by-election http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28967904

The Guardian, 28.08.14: Tory MP Douglas Carswell defects to Ukip and forces byelection http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/aug/28/douglas-carswell-ukip-defects-tory-mp-byelection

The Conversation, 28.08.14: All eyes on Tory eurosceptics as defection to UKIP forces fight that could shape next election http://theconversation.com/all-eyes-on-tory-eurosceptics-as-defection-to-ukip-forces-fight-that-could-shape-next-election-31031

Conservative Home, 29.08.14: David Nuttall MP: I want to leave the EU, and that’s why I’ll be staying in the Conservative Party http://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2014/08/david-nuttall-mp-i-want-to-leave-the-eu-and-thats-why-ill-be-staying-in-the-conservative-party.html

Website: Better Off Out http://www.betteroffout.net/

Conservative Home, 29.08.14: We name the next Carswells http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2014/08/we-name-the-next-douglas-carswells.html

Conservative Home, 28.08.14: Carswell defects to UKIP http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2014/08/carswell-defects-to-ukip.html

UKIP: Press Release, 28.08.14: Carswell defects to UKIP: 'My position with Conservatives is now untenable' http://www.ukip.org/carswell_defects_to_ukip_my_position_with_conservatives_has_become_untenable

EUObserver, 01.09.14: Cameron faces new EU referendum backlash http://euobserver.com/political/125420

The Guardian, 31.08.14: Tories should give Ukip free run in Clacton, MP suggests http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/aug/31/tories-ukip-clacton-byelection-douglas-carswell

The Guardian, 31.08.14: Eurosceptic Tory MP Chris Kelly quits http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/01/eurosceptic-tory-conservative-mp-chris-kelly-quits

Social Europe Journal, 04.09.14: Nigel Farage Gambles On Labour Win In The UK http://www.social-europe.eu/2014/09/nigel-farage-gambles-labour-win-uk/

BBC News, 27.09.14: Mark Reckless's journey from Tory rebel to UKIP recruit http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29396883

Le Monde Diplomatique, October 2014: Ukip’s surprise party line http://mondediplo.com/2014/10/06ukip

The Guardian, 27.09.14: Tory MP Mark Reckless defects to Ukip http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/27/tory-mp-mark-reckless-defects-ukip

---