CLACTON MP Douglas Carswell has ruled out taking on the leadership of Ukip.

Mr Carswell has been left as Ukip's sole MP following Thursday's General Election.

Nigel Farage stood down as party leader after failing to win the South Thanet seat.

Mr Carswell said he thought others were better placed than himself to do the job.

But he did call for real democracy in the wake of the election, warning that the sense of dissatisfaction with the political system could grow into something more sinister.

Ukip took a 13 per cent share of the vote nationally, but only returned one MP to Parliament.

Mr Carswell said: “Five million voted for Ukip and the Greens combined. That is a lot of people who right now don’t appear to be represented by many people.

“If you look at the Scottish National Party, who got about just over one million votes, they have more than 50 seats in the House of Commons. How can this be right? Something has got to change.

“If we are not careful, that sense of disaffection will grow into something more sinister.”

Mr Carswell also called for reform at Tendring Council. He said: “The fundamental problem with Tendring Council is the cabinet system means a clique calls the shots.

“Maybe we should use the legal powers we have to return to the proper committee system.

“That way you could have decisions taken openly in full committee and you would have to get cross-party consensus.

“We have had a history of small cliques running the council and eventually it erupts into in-fighting.”