UKIP council leader defects to Tories saying party 'doesn't have a point any more' after EU Referendum

A leading councillor for UKIP has quit the party saying it "doesn't really have a point any more" after the EU Referendum.

Alan Preest, the leader of the UKIP Group on Gloucestershire County Council, has defected to the Conservatives and will be applying to stand for the party at next year's county election.

Cllr Preest is re-joining the Conservatives who he left in 2008 to help UKIP's cause.

Cllr Preest left the Conservatives in 2008 to work with UKIP. Credit: Gloucestershire Conservatives

He said:

Cllr Preest was elected in 2013 to represent the Lydney division.

His decision means that the UKIP group at county level is reduced to two councillors, whilst the Conservative Group increases to twenty-five councillors.

Credit: Gloucestershire Conservatives

Cllr Mark Hawthorne, Leader of Gloucestershire County Council said: