Michael Fabricant: I warned PM about rise of UKIP

Speaking to the Express & Star, the colourful Lichfield MP tells how he became 'fed up' with being ignored by David Cameron and Tory grandees so came up with the idea of a phoney electoral pact with Nigel Farage to 'grab headlines'.

The 63-year-old also reveals how he thinks the Coalition has not 'gone well' for either the Conservative and Liberal Democrats – ruling out a further partnership between the two parties after next year's General Election.

He said: "I talked about this pact with UKIP, and to be honest with you, not because I ever believed there would be a pact but because I got so fed up saying to David Cameron and officials at Number 10 and CCHQ (Conservative Campaign Headquarters) about the dangers of UKIP top-slicing our vote and them all saying 'no it's a flash in the pan', 'they're all loonies', 'they're all fruit cakes', 'don't worry about it'.

"I thought the only way I can get the message out there is by coming up with a headline-grabbing thing about the pact."

See also: Fab by name, Fab by nature - The world of Michael Fabricant

Nigel Farage's party are now riding high in opinion polls in the run up to next week's European Parliament elections with all three parties fearful of UKIP. "A year ago DC would not dare talk about UKIP. And now he's talking about it extensively," he said.

Mr Fabricant, who has been an MP in Staffordshire since 1992, was sacked as Conservative Party vice-chairman last month after tweeting 'about time' when Culture Secretary Maria Miller finally resigned after her ongoing expenses saga.