Tory MP Douglas Carswell defects to UKIP

Tory MP Douglas Carswell has defected to the UK Independence Party and will stand down as MP for Clacton to seek re-election in a by-election.

If he wins the by-election he will be the first UKIP MP to take a seat in Westminster.

He unveiled his surprise announcement at a news conference in central London.

Mr Carswell told journalists it had not been an easy decision but he believed "only UKIP can shake up that cosy little clique called Westminster".