Tory MP Douglas Carswell defects to Ukip and forces byelection

Tory Douglas Carswell has defected to UKIP and quit as MP for Clacton, saying he will contest the subsequent by-election for Nigel Farage's party.

If he wins the support of voters he will be the first elected UK Independence Party MP in the Commons.

The maverick Eurosceptic backbencher said did not believe Prime Minister David Cameron was "serious about the change we need" in Europe.

The PM described his defection as "regrettable" and "counterproductive".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28967904

As good as telling telling David Cameron that he's useless on delivering what he promises.

This is a real shot in the arm for UKIP and could start a surge in support for them.

And if he wins the bye-election that could be the breakthrough they need to try and add to that at the general election.

He was one of the Tory MPs that saw through George Osborne's lies when he was claiming that Alistair Darling signed off additional payments to the EU just days before Labour left power without his approval.

I feel a bit sorry for the existing representative of UKIP in Clacton, Roger Lord, who wasn't even informed.  Bad form Farage.

Several more Tory MPs in talks with UKIP allegedly

http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/504659/Eight-more-Tories-in-secret-Ukip-talks

Irn Bru wrote:Tory Douglas Carswell has defected to UKIP and quit as MP for Clacton, saying he will contest the subsequent by-election for Nigel Farage's party.

If he wins the support of voters he will be the first elected UK Independence Party MP in the Commons.

The maverick Eurosceptic backbencher said did not believe Prime Minister David Cameron was "serious about the change we need" in Europe.

The PM described his defection as "regrettable" and "counterproductive".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28967904

As good as telling telling David Cameron that he's useless on delivering what he promises.

This is a real shot in the arm for UKIP and could start a surge in support for them.

And if he wins the bye-election that could be the breakthrough they need to try and add to that at the general election.

He was one of the Tory MPs that saw through George Osborne's lies when he was claiming that Alistair Darling signed off additional payments to the EU just days before Labour left power without his approval.

He will be sorely missed by true Conservatives. But I have to admire his stance. many have taken the trip across the benches and to my recollection he is the first to do so and immediately hold a bi election as he is not in the party he was voted in to represent. Good for him. Brave but I reckon his history as a constituency MP will hold good and he will re enter the House.

Actually just been reading about Roger Lord, the UKIP candidate for the area, who is throwing his dummies all over Essex over this and wants to have a public debate with Carswell. Now if two are standing for this area, as Lord has said he is not stepping aside, their battle could see the Tories retain this seat. 
UKIP did not really think this one through, it is all well getting people to defect, but if two battle over this you can let someone in through the backdoor, being as UKIP has such a strong support there, being as their vote could be shared.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/08/29/roger-lord-ukip-douglas-carswell_n_5735340.html?utm_hp_ref=uk&utm_hp_ref=uk

If this opinion poll is anything to go by then I don't think there is any doubt who the official UKIP candidate will be at the byelection.

Survation shows UKIP 44 points ahead in Clacton.

http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/8950

It basically shows that the electorate will stick with a candidate that they have come to trust and respect irrespective of which party they line up with.

This will send shockwaves through the Tories and if Carswell does indeed win by anything like these figures suggest then we could well see a surge of support for UKIP and also several more Tories jumping ship as well.

All to play for though as it's early days since he announced his defection and this could simply be a knee-jerk reaction with many voters returning to their traditional voting patterns at the actual election.

I'm not surprised that the original UKIP candidate feels put out and so he should but the reality is that winning the seat for UKIP is all that matters. That's politics though, isn't it?