UKIP claims a Conservative MP’s days are numbered in Clacton after naming its own General Election hopeful.

Roger Lord, 57, will stand against Douglas Carswell in the battle for the Clacton seat next year and UKIP bosses are confident the Great Bentley farmer will oust his Tory opponent.

Ukip’s Clacton party secretary Anne Poonian said they had asked Eurosceptic Mr Carswell to defect from the Tories and join them.

Mrs Poonian has “no doubt” UKIP will take the Clacton seat in next year’s General Election.

She explained: “We need 2,000 more votes than we had in the local elections and we’ve got them.

“We are probably going to be able to put up candidates in every seat in the next council elections.

“I think we will be challenging everywhere.”

Mr Lord grew up in Tendring and went to Clacton County High School.

The Gazette contacted Mr Carswell about UKIP’s claims, but he declined to comment.

Labour candidate Tim Young will also stand for the Clacton seat at the next General Election.