Nigel Farage has described the defection of Conservative candidate Mike Whitehead to Ukip as "another hammer blow to Tory pretensions in the north of England".
However, a Conservative Party spokesman dismissed Ukip's announcement as "cynical, misleading and utterly calculating to try and score political points".
Ukip "defector" Mike Whitehead was told last week that he would not be selected as a Conservative candidate at the General Election, according to correspondence seen by ITV News.
The Conservatives say the email extracts - which they say were sent on 1 April - counter the claim that Whitehead was due to stand for the party in Hull West and Hessle, a Labour-held seat in East Yorkshire.
According to the Conservatives, Whitehead was told he would not be selected after refusing to support a local Conservative council candidate.
The Democratic presidential candidate may also have shown his cards on his choice of running mate.
The US president also shared a post on Twitter accusing Dr Anthony Fauci of misleading the public over hydroxychloroquine.
Fears over an impending second wave of coronavirus dominates Wednesday’s front pages.