A jubilant Nigel Farage predicted that Ukip could hold the balance of power after next May’s general election as he celebrated his party gaining its first elected MP in the Clacton by-election.

The Ukip leader hailed a double triumph after his party sent shockwaves through the Conservatives, who lost Clacton, and Labour, who came close to losing its Heywood and Middleton seat to Ukip.

The anti-EU party hopes that having its first MP will attract more high-value donors and debunk the argument that it would be a “wasted” or “protest vote” next May.

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Mr Farage predicted more defections to his party, claiming they could include Labour as well as Tory MPs. “I have had these conversations with backbench Conservatives. I have had these conversations with some backbench Labour MPs as well,” he told LBC radio. “I would be surprised if there weren’t, over the course of the next few months, more defections. Do not forget what happened yesterday in Heywood and Middleton was extremely significant.”

Shape Created with Sketch. Who's next? Conservative MPs who could defect to Ukip Show all 8 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Who's next? Conservative MPs who could defect to Ukip 1/8 Chris Kelly Won Dudley South with majority of 3,856 in 2010 but is standing down next May. Has been wooed by Ukip, which is targeting his seat, but insists he will not join Nigel Farage’s party. Has declined to say why he is leaving Parliament Facebook 2/8 Mark Pritchard Former secretary of the influential Tory 1992 Committee. MP for The Wrekin. Majority 9,450. Photographed with Nigel Farage at an event recently but said it was just a “friendly photo" 3/8 Philip Hollobone MP for Kettering. Majority 9, 904. He said in 2013: “So many constituencies are now marginal because Ukip is now providing a fourth dynamic into what has previously been a three-party dynamic. I think we could end up with a situation where in selected seats, where the Conservative candidate or member of Parliament is in favour of leaving the EU, they would endorse him in those seats" Rex 4/8 David Nuttall MP for Bury North. Majority 2,243. Outspoken right-winger. Has said it would be “beneficial” if the Tories and Ukip could agree a “common programme” in order to unite the right in British politics Twitter 5/8 Nadine Dorries MP for Mid Bedfordshire. Majority 15,152. Lost Tory whip after appearing on ITV’s “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here,” but later reinstated. Has said her constituents some constituents feel a "huge amount of empathy with Ukip". Hinted at standing on a joint ticket but denied she will defect PA 6/8 Jacob Rees-Mogg MP for Somerset North East. Majority 4,914. Independent-minded like Douglas Carswell. Has called for an electoral pact between Tories and Ukip. “There are many members of Ukip who are very close to the Conservative Party and there are many Conservatives to whom Ukip looks favourably,” he said in May David Hedges 7/8 Gordon Henderson MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey. Majority 12,383. Wants Britain to leave the EU and admits he has been “sounded out” by Ukip. But insists the party has “no principles,” saying: “I’d sooner lose than be a turncoat” 8/8 Peter Bone MP for Wellingborough. Majority 11,787. Independent-minded backbencher who hates the Coalition. Has said: “Somehow the Conservatives and Ukip have got to work together and have some sort of [electoral] pact or accord” UPPA/Photoshot 1/8 Chris Kelly Won Dudley South with majority of 3,856 in 2010 but is standing down next May. Has been wooed by Ukip, which is targeting his seat, but insists he will not join Nigel Farage’s party. Has declined to say why he is leaving Parliament Facebook 2/8 Mark Pritchard Former secretary of the influential Tory 1992 Committee. MP for The Wrekin. Majority 9,450. Photographed with Nigel Farage at an event recently but said it was just a “friendly photo" 3/8 Philip Hollobone MP for Kettering. Majority 9, 904. He said in 2013: “So many constituencies are now marginal because Ukip is now providing a fourth dynamic into what has previously been a three-party dynamic. I think we could end up with a situation where in selected seats, where the Conservative candidate or member of Parliament is in favour of leaving the EU, they would endorse him in those seats" Rex 4/8 David Nuttall MP for Bury North. Majority 2,243. Outspoken right-winger. Has said it would be “beneficial” if the Tories and Ukip could agree a “common programme” in order to unite the right in British politics Twitter 5/8 Nadine Dorries MP for Mid Bedfordshire. Majority 15,152. Lost Tory whip after appearing on ITV’s “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here,” but later reinstated. Has said her constituents some constituents feel a "huge amount of empathy with Ukip". Hinted at standing on a joint ticket but denied she will defect PA 6/8 Jacob Rees-Mogg MP for Somerset North East. Majority 4,914. Independent-minded like Douglas Carswell. Has called for an electoral pact between Tories and Ukip. “There are many members of Ukip who are very close to the Conservative Party and there are many Conservatives to whom Ukip looks favourably,” he said in May David Hedges 7/8 Gordon Henderson MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey. Majority 12,383. Wants Britain to leave the EU and admits he has been “sounded out” by Ukip. But insists the party has “no principles,” saying: “I’d sooner lose than be a turncoat” 8/8 Peter Bone MP for Wellingborough. Majority 11,787. Independent-minded backbencher who hates the Coalition. Has said: “Somehow the Conservatives and Ukip have got to work together and have some sort of [electoral] pact or accord” UPPA/Photoshot

The Ukip leader went on a rather chaotic walkabout in Clacton with Douglas Carswell, the former Tory MP who increased his 2010 majority after resigning to fight his seat under Ukip’s banner in Thursday’s by-election.

“The whole of British politics has been shaken up in a way that the complacent Westminster class could never even have contemplated,” said Mr Farage. “Something big is happening here. People want change. They have had enough of career politicians in three parties who don’t even understand the problems they face in their everyday lives. People want real change.

“We’ve got a chance here in a general election next year that is likely to be very tight, in an election in which no one party is likely to have a majority. If Ukip can keep this momentum going, we could find ourselves next May in a position where we hold the balance of power.”

Mr Farage said the result in Labour’s stronghold in Heywood and Middleton, where its majority was cut from almost 6,000 to 617, proved his party was the only one capable of defeating the Tories and Labour.

Ukip even demanded a recount in the Greater Manchester seat, as Labour’s hopes of a 2,000-plus majority were shattered as Liz McInnes just held on to the constituency.

The Ukip leader argued that his party’s victory in Clacton would provide a springboard for the next by-election in Rochester and Strood, following the defection of Mark Reckless, another former Tory MP, to Ukip. It is expected towards the end of next month.

Mr Carswell’s triumph provoked Tory jitters about their decision to “throw the kitchen sink” at the Rochester by-election. The Tories believe victory would halt Ukip’s bandwagon. But another Ukip win might persuade more Tory MPs to jump ship. The Tories’ nightmare scenario is a series of “rolling by-elections” which keeps the Ukip brand in the spotlight until the May election.

The Tories sought to turn their defeat in Clacton to their advantage by renewing their warnings that a vote for Ukip next May could allow Ed Miliband into Downing Street through the back door.

Grant Shapps, the Tory chairman, said: “Let me be blunt. What we have seen is a simple truth. This just puts Miliband closer to victory. This has just made his job of getting into No 10 easier.”

David Cameron described the general election as “the most important in a generation”, adding: “If you vote Ukip, you are in danger of getting a Labour government with Ed Miliband as prime minister, Ed Balls as chancellor. You’ll get no action on immigration, no European referendum and, most importantly, you won’t get a continuation of the plan that’s delivering success for our economy and security for our people. That is the wider lesson of last night. We have seven months to demonstrate that only a Conservative government can give people the stability and security we all want to see.”

However, some Tory MPs believe the “get Miliband” warnings cut little ice with disenchanted voters who see the Westminster parties as all the same. Sarah Wollaston, chairman of the Commons Health Select Committee, said: “The ‘vote for us to keep out the other guy’ line is not enough. All the parties should start to meet the wider challenge of political reform.”

Polling suggests that only one in 10 Tory switchers to Ukip considers returning to the Tory fold when told Mr Miliband might become prime minister.

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