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-29438653

The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Conservative party donor Arron Banks set to join UKIP Conservative Party donor Arron Banks set to join UKIP
(35 minutes later)
A major Conservative party donor is set to join UKIP, the BBC understands. Conservative Party donor Arron Banks is set to join the UK Independence Party and could stand in next May's election.
Insurance entrepreneur Arron Banks will announce his decision to defect in Bristol later, BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith said. The insurance entrepreneur has donated more than £250,000 to the Tories since David Cameron became leader in 2005.
Mr Banks, who has donated more than £250,000 to the Tories since David Cameron became leader in 2005, is to give a £100,000 cheque to UKIP leader Nigel Farage. He will hand over a £100,000 cheque to UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who predicted more business people would back UKIP.
It comes after Tory MPs Mark Reckless and Douglas Carswell defected to UKIP. Mr Banks follows Tory MPs Mark Reckless and Douglas Carswell in switching allegiances from the Conservatives to UKIP in recent weeks.
Mr Farage told the BBC the move was "only the start" and predicted more business leaders were set to leave the Conservatives. Mr Farage said Mr Banks, who runs the insurance company Go Skippy, was joining the party because he wanted Britain to be a global trading nation.
He said the business community no longer believed Mr Cameron's promises over an in/out referendum on UK membership of the EU. 'Significant move'
Mr Farage said the business community no longer believed Mr Cameron's promises over an in/out referendum on UK membership of the EU.
"This is the beginning of a significant move from the business community who are not prepared to wait for Mr Cameron's referendum," he said."This is the beginning of a significant move from the business community who are not prepared to wait for Mr Cameron's referendum," he said.
Mr Farage said Mr Banks had also expressed an interest in standing as a candidate for UKIP in next year's general election. He added that Mr Banks had expressed an interest in standing as a candidate for UKIP in next year's general election.
It comes after Mr Reckless, the former Tory MP for Rochester and Strood, last week defected to UKIP - announcing his decision on the eve of the Conservative Party conference.
He said that, as a Tory, he could not keep a promise to "cut immigration while treating people fairly".
The Conservatives say that electing them at next May's General Election is the only way for people to ensure there is a referendum on UK membership of the European Union.
David Cameron said Mr Reckless's defection to UKIP was "senseless and counter-productive".