UKIP gets a Member of Parliament

4.38.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 22nd Apr 2008

Bob Spink, the former Conservative MP has defected to UKIP (The UK Independence Party). Spink claims the Conservatives have been "dishonest" over their Europe policies.

Mr Spink said he had decided to leave the Conservatives after years of being "disenchanted" with the party. He accused them of being "dishonest" with the public over a wide range of issues, including Europe, pensions, crime, immigration and defence.

"I voted against the Tory whip 22 times in the last session, on issues such as equality for women on pensions, which I think is a good thing, and on defence issues, and getting tough on crime, issues that really concern the people of this country," he told BBC's Five Live Breakfast. "I think that politics is becoming increasingly dishonourable at Westminster and I am delighted to be joining a strong UKIP team so that we can get some meat on these domestic policies."