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".