A former Conservative Maidstone borough councillor John Barned has defected to Ukip.

Mr Barned had represented Harrietsham and Lenham Ward for the Conservatives for four years up to May last year - when he was defeated by just 46 votes by Ukip’s candidate Eddie Powell.

Now Mr Barned has joined Cllr Powell in the new party.

Mr Barned said: “I just can’t go along with the way things are in the Conservative party any longer.

“I voted against the borough’s housing target when I was a councillor, and I am still against it now. I just don’t understand where they have got the figure of 18,600 new homes from.”

Mr Barned was himself a housing officer for Maidstone and Ashford councils for 20 years before his retirement.

He had previously had a long career in Fleet Street, working for the Daily Telegraph, The Sun and the London Evening News.

Mr Barned said: “Nationally, I’ve had enough of the Tories too. We’ve just had too many promises from this Government, but not enough action.

“Why are we still talking about the ‘possibility’ of a referendum (on the European Union)? Why haven’t we got a date for it now?”

Mr Barned acknowledged that if he had made his Ukip conversion earlier, and stood for the party last May, he might still be a councillor today.

He said: “When I was canvassing ahead of the election, a lot of people told me: ‘It’s nothing personal against you John, but we are never voting for the Conservatives again’.”

Cllr Nick de Wiggondene, the chairman of the Faversham and Mid Kent branch of the Conservative party, said he preferred not to comment until he had had a chance to talk to Mr Barned about his decision.

Cllr Powell welcomed his former adversary to the fold. He said: “I’m sure John is simply the first of many former Conservatives who will be joining us.”

In the meantime, Mr Barned said he would be prepared to stand for Ukip in the elections in May if he were needed.