Ukip Margate conference: Douglas Carswell reveals Ukip's plans for electoral reform

It's been a hectic six months for Douglas Carswell. The independent minded politician defected from the Tories to Ukip and won a crunch by-election after standing down as an MP.

The 43-year-old also set off a mini-earthquake under Westminster after he secured a 12,404 majority in October and walked into the House of Commons as the first Ukip MP.

But he only had to wait until November for his party to win another seat after fellow Tory defector Mark Reckless jumped ship and won the hotly contested Rochester and Strood by-election.

IBTimes UK caught up with Carswell at Ukip's spring conference in Margate after the Clacton MP blasted "career politicians" and unveiled his plans for political reform, including a proposal which would allow constituents to vote down their MPs outside of a general election.

The direct democracy advocate disclosed that he has a "minor role" contributing to Ukip's forthcoming general election manifesto and stressed that deputy chair Suzanne Evans is doing a "magnificent job" as chief architect of the party's plan.

"I gave a talk today about political reform and I'm very keen on recall, direct democracy and political change. I have views on lots of things - there are lots of things in the country that need change," he said.

But how important would a tougher recall measure be for Carswell and Ukip if the party went into coalition with the Tories after May?

"Let's wait and see. We wouldn't want to go into coalition; I don't think the coalition is too good for this country," he said.

"It's a little presumptuous for parties just weeks before polling day to be talking about how they want the Westminster furniture to be rearranged. We're not in politics for that.

"I oversea our key seats campaign and four months ago there were polls coming out telling us that we were struggling, not anymore. In the opinions of key voters in key seats we are doing incredibly well."

Parliament can be an unscrupulous and nasty place. The BBC's recent Inside the Commons documentary lifted the lid on some more of the Machiavellian manoeuvres of "right honourable" members. IBTimes UK asked Carswell how he was fitting in after his return to the House of Commons and if he was the victim of any trickery.

"One or two people are not best pleased to see [me and Reckless] and one or two people have become a little cross at the realisation that we are there because we represent a new party and we want their seats. If people are sometime a bit rude, I have a thick skin and don't notice it," the Clacton MP said.

With only months as a Ukip MP and a general election in less than 70 days, Carswell revealed that he feels "much more at home" and has had more fun at Ukip's Margate conference.

"I've found it much more easier this time, partly because I'm not so disorientated. I had made the announcement that I was leaving, I had gone back to my constituency and I spent a long time organising a grassroots campaign. I then had to go up to Doncaster and, to be honest, I just wanted to get there, say my piece and go," he said.

"This is much more fun and I've been able to be slightly more reflective on what I wanted to say. I feel much more at home. When I was last at a conference, I was the only MP for Ukip, and now there are two of us."