This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39393213
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Douglas Carswell quitting UKIP to become independent MP for Clacton | 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 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". |
| The party's only MP defected from the Conservatives to UKIP in 2014. | The party's only MP defected from the Conservatives to UKIP in 2014. |
| Former leader Nigel Farage recently called on Mr Carswell to quit accusing him of "actively working against UKIP". | Former leader Nigel Farage recently called on Mr Carswell to 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| "He should call a by-election and Arron will stand against him." | "He should call a by-election and Arron will stand against him." |
| 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. | 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. |
| On Twitter, Mr Banks posted a smiley face emoji and a green tick. | On Twitter, Mr Banks posted a smiley face emoji and a green tick. |
| Writing on his blog, 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 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." | "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." |
| Speaking to the BBC, Mr Carswell declined to comment on where his decision left UKIP, saying there was a "political cartel" in the UK and he wanted to be part of "far-reaching change" as an independent MP. | |
| 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. |
| After defecting to UKIP he stood down to seek re-election in a by-election, which he won by 12,404 votes in October 2014. At the general election in 2015, he retained the seat with a 3,437 majority. | |
| UKIP MEP Bill Etheridge said he was "delighted" at the announcement. | 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. | "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." | "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." |
| Speaking earlier this month, Mr Carswell had vowed to "absolutely" fight the next general election as a UKIP candidate. | |
| He was speaking after UKIP leader Paul Nuttall urged senior figures to "stick together". Mr Nuttall, who unsuccessfully stood at Stoke by-election, said he needed time to sort out the "mess" his party was in. |