The former Kent Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe was wrong to abandon the Conservative party, according to the leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Ms Widdecombe, who represented Maidstone and the Weald from 1987 to 2010, announced she intended to back Nigel Farage’s new Brexit Party in the European elections scheduled to take place on May 23 should - as expected - the government fails to secure a deal.

She said she had decided to swing behind the party after 55 years as a member of the Conservatives.

But her decision was criticised by Mr Rees-Mogg, who said: “I think abandoning the Conservative Party at this stage is completely the wrong thing to do. I think we need to get the Tory party back to what it needs to do which is delivering Brexit and perhaps occasionally, saying a Conservative thing.”

At the same time, he understood why she had signed up to stand as a candidate.

He added: “Very sad, but I don’t blame her.”

Asked in an interview on LBC why he had not followed suit, he said: “Because I am a Tory to my fingertips. She has come to a different decision.”

Ms Widdecombe, who lives in Dorset, is the party’s number one candidate in the South West region and if the polls are proved right, could well be elected - if only until the new deadline for the UK’s departure of October 31.

"I think the Brexit Party's chances are very good. Pretty much everybody is fed up with the current situation. What the party aims to do is send a shock wave across the other parties. The nation has had enough. I'm looking forward to getting some sense into the awful situation and being part of what I think is a solution."

As a result of backing the Brexit Party, she has had to relinquish her role as President of the Maidstone Conservative Constituency Association.

She has also been expelled from the Conservative party, something she said she was very sad about.

Head to our politics page for expert analysis and all the latest news from your politicians and councils.