UKIP's North Cumbria chairman has announced his resignation from the party.

John Stanyer, former North West chair who also led Cumbria's Vote Leave campaign, said he is defecting to the Conservative party because of the little faith he has left in UKIP's leadership and following Theresa May's Brexit speech.

He said: "It is with great sadness that I announce my resignation from UKIP as both a member and chairman of North Cumbria branch."

Mr Stanyer, a member of UKIP for eight years, said the party leadership including the party chairman, along with most of the NEC, had run the party "appallingly" over the past 12 months.

"They have let the leaders down both Nigel Farage and Paul Nuttall, both of whom I still hold in the highest regard.

"But the last straw for me is the way they have treated the UKIP west Cumbria branch with regard to the by-election in Copeland.

"The promised support has not been given and they have treated the local party as idiots.

"This is so they can fight the Stoke by-election instead. If our party is not capable of fighting two by-elections at the same time how can we ever govern the country."

Commenting on the Prime Minister's announcement, he said: "It was the best speech by a Conservative leader in 30 years.

"It at last gave us what we have been asking for and what our country needs and deserves."