Tories vent fury on Reckless for ‘senseless’ defection to Ukip

Furious British Tories have turned their fire on ex-MP Mark Reckless, with David Cameron branding his defection to Ukip "senseless and counter-productive" while party chairman Grant Shapps told activists: "He lied and lied and lied again."

The Rochester MP’s switch to Nigel Farage’s party, coupled with the resignation of government minister Brooks Newmark over a sex scandal, cast a shadow over the final Conservative conference before the 2015 general election.

Britain’s prime minister suffered a further blow from polling by former party treasurer Lord Ashcroft, who found Labour was heading for a “comfortable working majority” next May.