UKIP MP Douglas Carswell has spelled out what the party needs to do over the next five years to boost its success at the polls.

Mr Carswell admitted he was “despondent” after party leader Nigel Farage lost his bid to become the MP for Thanet South in the General Election and “gutted” that he was standing down.

Mr Farage had vowed to quit if he lost, but will now continue as leader after the party refused to accept his resignation.

Mr Carswell also said he was “dismayed” when Mark Reckless lost his Rochester seat on Thursday night, leaving Clacton as Ukip’s only surviving seat.

“In seat after seat, so much effort had been made by so many people – and all for so little,” said Mr Carswell.

However, he urged Ukip supporters not to despair after the party secured almost four million votes on the night – more than the Lib Dems.

Mr Carswell added the party needed to change its style to appeal to more voters in the future.

“Ukip used to worry about getting noticed,” he said on his blog.

“What matters now is that we are listened to – and that means speaking more softly. And when we do speak, we speak to all Britain – and all Britons.

“Politics is about bringing people together – literally, in order that as many as possible each place their cross on the same part of the ballot paper.”

He insisted: “Given than 87 per cent of people did not vote Ukip at the last General Election, Ukip needs to campaign in the coming referendum as part of a wider movement.

“Yes, we might be passionate about the need to leave the EU.

We should recognise that we might not always be the best people to make the case to undecided voters.

“We need to recognise that the case against our continued EU membership is not simply a matter of immigration, but of a better kind of Britain for the future.”

Mr Carswell also used his own constituency to highlight the importance of getting the right people to stand for Ukip.

“Between now and 2020, Ukip needs to focus on selecting good local candidates in key seats – and selecting them early on,” he said.

“Our candidates need to be local champions, as passionate about safeguarding the local maternity unit or police station as they might be about immigration or defence.”