Nigel Farage threatens to sack Ukip's only MP Douglas Carswell

Nigel Farage tells Clacton MP he must 'decide whether he wants to continue to be part' of Ukip after he called for a 'fresh face' to take over as leader

Nigel Farage and Douglas Carswell in happier days (PA)

Nigel Farage appears to be on the verge of sacking Ukip’s only MP Douglas Carswell called on him to step down as leader.

In an astonishing bust-up between the pair, the Ukip leader reacted angrily to the Clacton MP’s suggestion that the party needed a “fresh face” as leader.

Mr Farage boasted that more than 90 per cent of Ukip’s members supported his leadership and said Mr Carswell said there was only “one person” causing “disunity” in the party.

“Frankly it’s going to have to end,” Mr Farage said. “He’s going to have to put up or shut up,” adding that he must “decide whether he wants to continue to be part” of the Ukip.

It was unfortunate timing for Mr Farage, who was seeking to put maximum pressure on David Cameron in Brussels as EU leaders met at a crucial summit to discuss proposed reforms to Britain’s membership of the EU ahead of the referendum.

Mr Farage and Mr Carswell disagree over Ukip’s policy towards immigration – the Clacton MP is uncomfortable with his leader’s negative approach to immigrants and wants more of a positive campaign for the EU referendum.

Mr Carswell said the party’s failure to make significant ground in the Oldham by-election earlier this month proved that Ukip needed a “fresh face” to reach a wider number of voters.

Responding to suggestions that he should listen to Mr Carswell given he was the only Ukip candidate to get elected to the House of Commons in May, Mr Farage told BBC Two’s Daily Politics: “Well he did but you know what, so what, he’s one person.

“So what…every single time there’s a UKIP conference it finishes in a story of UKIP disunity and it’s all being caused by one person.

“And frankly I think it’s going to have to end. He’s going to have to put up or shut up. either he accepts that UKIP is unified not just behind its leadership but behind believing that controlling our borders and dealing with immigration is a fundamental issue in British politics and not something we should shy away from, either he will have to accept that or do something different.

“We know he agrees with us on the question of EU membership. The difficutly is, we think controlling immigration, having an Australian style points system is the right way forward, he seems to feel it’s a bit too awkward to talk about these things.

“The people’s army is growing with every month that goes by and he’s been a part of that but He must decide whether he wants to continue to be a part of it…

“I don’t think our National Exectuive would allow one individual to give an impression to the country that UKIP is divided when actually it’s very united.”