Founding member of Ukip defects to the Tories

A founding member of the UK Independence party (Ukip) has announced he is leaving the party to join the Conservatives.

Craig Mackinlay stood as a candidate for Ukip in four general elections and in three European parliament elections.

Tory party chairman Francis Maude said the Conservatives were “delighted” Mr Mackinlay had defected to the party. The move underlined the “growing conviction that the Conservatives are the only party properly equipped to tackle the challenges of the 21st century”, he said.

Mr Mackinlay said he was impressed by the “new realism” of the Tory party. “While in the short term it faces a period of uncertainty while it elects a new leader, it will emerge as a government in waiting,” he said.