UKIP will not be standing for election in Clacton – the seat where it elected its first ever MP.

The list of people standing for election in the constituency was published on Thursday.

Despite Tory defector Douglas Carswell winning the seat for Ukip in 2014 and 2015, the party is not fielding a candidate.

Mr Carswell stood down at the 2017 election claiming it was “job done” for the party following the EU referendum.

Clacton Ukip chairman and district councillor Mary Newton said the party did not have anyone to stand in the election.

Paul Oakley unsuccessfully stood for Ukip in Clacton at the General Election in 2017, which was won by Conservative candidate Giles Watling.

Mr Oakley had been asked to stand again, but he quit as Ukip’s General Secretary earlier this year over the party’s handling of remarks made about Labour MP Jess Philips.

He re-joined the Conservative Party last week after eight years and is backing Boris Johnson to get Brexit done.

Mr Oakley said: “Ukip has made some bad decisions – up until April it was polling up to 14 per cent.

“I wouldn’t have joined the Conservatives if Theresa May was still leader, but Boris Johnson is making all the right noises.

“Ukip has not got a chance of doing well in this election.

“Mary had previously asked me to be the candidate again – and I was very honoured that they asked.

“To be fair to Giles Watling, he has voted consistently for Brexit in the House of Commons.

“Last time Labour came second in Clacton and I wanted to avoid splitting the vote.

“There are some really decent people in Ukip, not least in the Clacton branch, but the party is close to death.

“We need to get Brexit, which we will, and we have to move on.”

Mrs Newton said Mr Oakley was the only potential parliamentary candidate the constituency had.

“Basically, we haven’t got anyone else to stand,” she added.

“The gentleman who was going to stand has gone across to the Conservative for personal reasons.”

  • The full list of candidates standing in Clacton: Colin Bennett (Ind), Kevin Bonavia (Lab), Andy Morgan (Ind), Callum Robertson (Lib Dem), Just-John Sexton (Monster Raving Loony Party), Chris Southall (Green) and Giles Watling (Con).