A leading member of the English Democrats has defected to the Conservatives.

Michael Walters, who lives in Stour Close, Strood, stood in the recent Eastleigh by-election for the party following the resignation of the disgraced Lib Dem MP Chris Huhne.

He has now decided to jump ship.

He was welcomed to the Tories by his constituency MP, Mark Reckless (Rochester and Strood) today (Tuesday).

Mr Walters, who has lived in Strood for more than 10 years, said local party members had been asking him to join for “some time”.