Nigel Farage accused of 'morally wrong' Brexit campaign by Ukip MP Douglas Carswell

The Clacton-On-Sea MP says 'angry nativism does not win elections in this country'

Ukip's only MP Douglas Carswell has launched a furious attack on Nigel Farage's conduct during the EU referendum campaign saying "angry nativism does not win elections in this country".

Speaking to the BBC, the MP for Clacton-on-Sea used the opportunity to talk about the "Breaking Point" posters launched by the unofficial Leave.EU campaign last week which depicted large queues of refugees attempting to get to Europe.

Mr Carswell, who is a member of the official Vote Leave campaign, said he though it was a "fundamentally wrong thing to do".

Follow the live updates here

He said: "I think it was morally the wrong thing to do. Using a picture of people who had fled from the war in Syria going to Slovakia, first of all it had nothing to do with the United Kingdom.

"Secondly I think it was wrong because it gave ammunition to the other side who wanted to cast asperions on our motives and our values.

"But thirdly, angry nativism does not win elections in this country".

He said he knew this because while campaigning in his Clacton constituency during the general election he had ordered that all "nativist posters were taken down" and "it's the one seat we won in that general election".

When asked about the future of his party he said: "We need change but the way to appeal to decent minded people who want change is not by whipping up some sense of the other".

But he ruled himself out as a successor to Mr Farage as leader saying: "I could not be a constituency MP. I could not be a dad and lead a political party. It would be bad for me and it would be disastrous for the party".

He also critcised Mr Farage's comments following polls released at 10pm suggesting a narrow win for Remain.

Mr Farage claimed Remain had in effect rigged the polls by extending the voter registration deadline which allowed more "young people" to register to vote.

He said the party had to "respect democracy" and said there were things the Leave campaign could campaign on such as the government sponsored leaflet campaign and Treasury forecasts predicting a recession but not more people being engaged in the debate.