Medway MP Mark Reckless has been accused of ‘“betraying” the Conservative Party by defecting to UKIP by its chairman Grant Shapps.

Opening the Tories’ conference in Birmingham this afternoon, Mr Shapps said of the Rochester and Strood MP: “He lied, lied and lied again.”

In a strongly worded attack on Mr Reckless, Mr Shapps went on to tell the party faithful: “I share your deep sense of betrayal and anger. We’ve been repeatedly let down by someone who lied to his constituents and you.

“Your trust has been abused. You have been cheated.”

He was speaking just hours after Mr Reckless, who announced his defection to UKIP at that party's conference on Saturday, made an appearance in Rochester with UKIP leader, Nigel Farage.

The two defended Mr Reckless’ decision to switch his allegiance to UKIP as they shared a lunchtime drink in The Crown in Rochester High Street.

Earlier today Prime Minister David Cameron also criticised Mr Reckless’ defection as “senseless and counter-productive”.

The switch by Mr Reckless to UKIP will trigger a by-election and follows a similar move earlier this month by MP Douglas Carswell.

Speaking on BBC's Andrew Marr show on Sunday morning, Mr Cameron said he had not been aware of Mr Reckless’s plans to quit but suggested the backbencher would not be much of a loss to the party because he “rarely voted with the government”.