The reality is that the only person Mr Ellwood is deceiving is himself. In Eastleigh, UKIP went from 3.6 per cent and fourth place in the general election to 27.8 per cent and a close second place in the recent by election.

This makes us a credible threat to constituencies far and wide. A threat to complacent MPs who vote like sheep for the fundamentally damaging and destructive policies of this dreadful coalition government.

It’s time Mr Ellwood and other coalition MPs started to sit up and pay attention.

PETER LUCAS, Landford Gardens, Bournemouth