Ukip's only MP Douglas Carswell is quitting the party and will sit in the House of Commons as the independent MP for Clacton.

Mr Carswell said he was leaving "amicably" and that there will be no need to call a by-election constituency as he will not be switching allegiance to another party.

Mr Carswell left the Conservative party to join Ukip in 2014.

The resignation comes after a public row with Ukip's biggest financial backer Arron Banks, a close ally of former leader Nigel Farage, who suggested this month that he could trigger a by-election in Clacton using a recall petition and stand against Mr Carswell.

After Carswell announced he was quitting, Mr Banks tweeted a smile emoji and a green tick.

The MP announced his resignation on his blog and said Ukip has now achieved its goal of getting Britain out of the European Union.

He said while Ukip has not won many seats in Parliament, "in a way, we are the most successful political party in Britain ever".

Mr Carswell paid tribute to party members and supporters, adding: "Like many of you, I switched to Ukip because I desperately wanted us to leave the EU.

"Now we can be certain that that is going to happen, I have decided that I will be leaving Ukip.

"I will leave UKIP amicably, cheerfully and in the knowledge that we won."