Second UKIP MP elected - Mark Reckless for Rochester and Strood
Mark Reckless has added second seat at Westminster for the UK Independence Party (UKIP) after he won the Rochester and Strood by-election, with analysts warning the party's rise could increase volatility on the markets.
Former Conservative party member Reckless took 16,867 votes, 2,920 more than Conservative Kelly Tolhurst's 13,947, with Labour's Naushabah Khan on 6,713.
As he was sworn in at the House of Commons, he was flanked by UKIP's other MP Douglas Carswell, another former Conservative who won a by-election last month.
Reckless, who defected from the Conservative party, said it was “extremely unlikely” that any further Conservative MPs would defect in the short-term, due to wariness about battling in by-elections so close to the general election.
In his acceptance speech on Friday morning, Mr Reckless said Rochester and Strood had been UKIP's 271st most winnable seat and "If UKIP can win here, we can win across the country".
He added "The people of Rochester and Strood have spoken. I felt I had to ask their permission.”
UKIP leader Nigel Farage refuted claims that the result was a protest vote against the government, or that voters would return to the larger parties in in the general election.
He said: “If you vote UKIP, you get UKIP. People out there who vote UKIP intend to stay UKIP".