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Douglas Carswell quitting UKIP Douglas Carswell quitting UKIP to become independent MP for Clacton
(35 minutes later)
UKIP's Douglas Carswell is quitting the party to become an independent MP for Clacton and says he is doing so "amicably". UKIP's Douglas Carswell is quitting the party to become an independent MP and says he is doing so "amicably".
Mr Carswell defected from the Conservatives to join UKIP in 2014. The party's only MP defected from the Conservatives to UKIP in 2014.
He said he joined the party because he wanted the UK to leave the EU and now "that is going to happen, I have decided that I will be leaving UKIP". Former leader Nigel Farage recently called on Mr Carswell to quit accusing him of "actively working against UKIP".
Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage had demanded Mr Carswell quit, accusing him of "actively working against UKIP". A spokesman for UKIP donor Arron Banks, who had suggested he would stand against Mr Carswell, said a by-election should be called and the Clacton MP had jumped before he was pushed.
Party donor Arron Banks had suggested he could stand against Mr Carswell at the next election, amid a long-running feud over UKIP's future direction and strategy. Andy Wigmore said: "The net has been closing in - there is a UKIP National Executive Committee meeting on Monday and he knew he was for the chop, so jumped.
UKIP has not formally responded to Mr Carswell's announcement. "He should call a by-election and Arron will stand against him."
But on Twitter, Mr Banks posted a smiley face emoji and a green tick. Mr Banks, who previously indicated he could stand against Mr Carswell at the next election, did so amid a long-running feud over the party's future direction and strategy.
Writing on his website, Mr Carswell, the party's only MP, said: "I will leave UKIP amicably, cheerfully and in the knowledge that we won." On Twitter, Mr Banks posted a smiley face emoji and a green tick.
He added: "I will not be switching parties, nor crossing the floor to the Conservatives, so do not need to call a by election, as I did when switching from the Conservatives to UKIP. I will simply be the Member of Parliament for Clacton, sitting as an independent." Writing on his website, Mr Carswell said: "I switched to UKIP because I desperately wanted us to leave the EU. Now we can be certain that that is going to happen, I have decided that I will be leaving UKIP.
"I will not be switching parties, nor crossing the floor to the Conservatives, so do not need to call a by election, as I did when switching from the Conservatives to UKIP. I will simply be the Member of Parliament for Clacton, sitting as an independent.
"I will leave UKIP amicably, cheerfully and in the knowledge that we won."
Mr Carswell said: "I will be putting all of my effort into tackling some of the local problems affecting the NHS in our part of Essex... Local comes first."Mr Carswell said: "I will be putting all of my effort into tackling some of the local problems affecting the NHS in our part of Essex... Local comes first."
Mr Carswell, 45, first entered the Commons in 2005 as MP for Harwich, defeating Labour's candidate by just 920 votes. By 2010 he defeated the same opponent by 12,000 votes - although boundary changes had seen the seat renamed Clacton.Mr Carswell, 45, first entered the Commons in 2005 as MP for Harwich, defeating Labour's candidate by just 920 votes. By 2010 he defeated the same opponent by 12,000 votes - although boundary changes had seen the seat renamed Clacton.
He took the seat with a 3,437 majority at the general election in 2015. He took the seat with a 3,437 majority at the general election in 2015
UKIP MEP Bill Etheridge said he was "delighted" at the announcement.
"It's a lovely, sunny day and someone I believe was not genuinely interested in representing UKIP in Westminster but has been the focus of serious infighting in the party has gone.
"But I think he needs to step down and call a by election... He was elected twice on a UKIP ticket, with UKIP resources and the hard work and shoe leather of UKIP activists."