Paul Nuttall: ‘Sigh of relief’ now Douglas Carswell has quit UKIP

Paul Nuttall has said he is unsurprised but disappointed that Douglas Carswell has left UKIP – and claims the MP was "becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the party’s direction of travel".

Writing in The Sunday Telegraph following the loss of his party’s only MP, Mr Nuttall said it was "clear that he has been drifting in one direction while UKIP has been marching in another".

The UKIP leader wrote: "He has always been – and always will be – at heart a Brexit-supporting staunch Tory, and, with the referendum result sorted, he has no reason to stay in a party that is moving into Labour’s turf."

Mr Nuttall said he was disappointed that Mr Carswell had not spoken to him about his concerns, given how the party had "raised his profile" since he joined from the Conservative backbench.

"I imagine most of the UKIP membership will initially be angry, with a sense of betrayal, but soon they will be breathing a sigh of relief," Mr Nuttall’s article concluded.

"I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of them tweeted a smiley face or two."

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In a statement posted on his website yesterday, Mr Carswell said he was leaving UKIP "amicably and cheerfully" now the UK’s path to Brexit was assured.

The MP added that he would sit in the Commons as an independent and was not crossing the floor to the Conservatives, meaning there would be no need to call a by-election.

In an interview with Sky News, Mr Carswell denied he joined the party to undermine former leader Nigel Farage, saying: "I think that many millions who made the switch to UKIP like me will now recognise that, you know, job done, and some will decide to move on.

"But you know, to those who decide to remain I wish them well.

"I haven’t spoken to him (Nigel Farage) for a long time, one of those by-elections that we lost… that was about the last time we spoke.

"But you know I wish Nigel well and I just wish he would be a bit more positive about the fact that on Wednesday, we win."

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The resignation comes after a public spat between Mr Carswell and the party’s largest financial backer, Arron Banks, who is a close ally of former leader Nigel Farage.

Mr Banks suggested this month he could trigger a by-election in Clacton, by using a recall petition, and stand against Mr Carswell.

Responding to the resignation, Mr Banks tweeted a smiley face emoji and a green tick.

Andy Wigmore, a spokesman for Mr Banks, called on Mr Carswell to trigger a by-election.

He said: "The net has been closing in – there is a UKIP national executive committee meeting on Monday and he knew he was for the chop, so jumped.

"He should call a by-election and Aaron will stand against him."

Mr Carswell was first elected to represent Clacton in 2005 as a Conservative MP, but defected to UKIP in 2014 and subsequently won the by-election as the party’s only MP.

:: Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage will be on Sophy Ridge on Sunday from 10am on Sky News.

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