A UKIP activist who quit the party over Henry Bolton's leadership has said it is becoming a “laughing stock”.

Mr Bolton has faced a wave of resignations by Ukip figures, including William Dartmouth, South West member of the European Parliament.

Mr Bolton has insisted he will carry on, despite a vote of no confidence from the party’s national executive committee.

Bob Lister, who was a key Ukip campaigner in Poole, said: “My membership lapsed in November and I haven’t reviewed it because of Henry Bolton.

“I didn’t vote for him and he’s been very ineffectual. Unfortunately he’s made the party into a laughing stock.”

John Butler, chairman of Ukip in Mid-Dorset and North Poole, wrote to members that the national executive had “no choice” after the way Mr Bolton handled the row over offensive texts sent by his then-girlfriend Jo Marney.

“He has shown incredibly poor judgement in letting someone like her get so close and personal to the party leader. Worryingly, he still doesn't seem to realise what he's done wrong,” he said.

Poole’s only Ukip councillor, Mike Fisher of Alderney, said Mr Bolton had been “doing a good job” of destroying the party.

“I think he should be slung out,” he said.

Bob Lister said he had been impressed when he spoke to Eurosceptic Conservative MP Jacob Rees Mogg.

“I think he’s fantastic. If Jacob Rees-Mogg was our prime minister, I would become a Conservative again,” he said.