Mark Reckless has made a triple-turn and has defected back to the Conservative Party.

The former Tory MP has declared his support for Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plan.

The Welsh Assembly Member dealt a major blow to the coalition government by abandoning the Tories in 2014. Former Conservative prime minister David Cameron then branded him a 'fat ****.'

The Welsh Conservative Group Leader RT Andrew Davies branded him as a 'hard-working and dedicated' AM.

He added: 'The Conservatives are now the only official opposition to the Welsh Labour Party.'

But the Welsh Ukip Group Leader Neil Hamilton said he had 'betrayed the trust' of his party's supporters.

Nigel Farage, who was leading UKIP at the time of his switch, scored a double-whammy that year as Clacton MP Douglas Carswell stabbed Cameron in the back by also defecting to the Eurosceptic party.

'I support Theresa May'

Announcing that leaving the European Union was a 'job done' by the pro-Brexit party, Mr. Reckless has left his UKIP colleagues and jumped ship to join the Conservative Group in the Welsh Assembly.

He said: 'I support Theresa May and her team of Brexit ministers to deliver.'

But his decision to leave has caused anger among UKIP's ranks. The party has reacted by suggesting he surrender his Welsh Assembly seat to another one of the party's candidates on their regional list.

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage said his decision was 'dishonourable.'

He added: 'I thought better of him.'

It comes as a significant blow to the pro-Brexit party as Mr.

Carswell quit to become an independent MP as a result of a nasty and public two-year war with Mr. Farage.

'Not rejoining the party'

The loss of the two defectors followed a humiliating UKIP defeat in Stoke-on-Central in February.

This will add to current UKIP leader Paul Nuttall's problems to redefine the party after the Brexit result last year.

However, the Conservative Party was quick to add Mr. Reckless was not 'rejoining' the party.

Instead, they stressed he would be treated as a member of the group in the Welsh Assembly only.

After Mr. Reckless quit the Tories he triggered a by-election in his former Rochester and Strood seat, which he won after defeating Conservative candidate Kelly Tolhurst.

UKIP were awarded with two MPs in the House of Commons for the first time as Mr. Carswell retained his Clacton seat.

Despite this, Mr. Reckless lost his seat in the 2015 General Election to his rival in the previous election, Ms Tolhurst.

He later won his seat on the Welsh Assembly in 2016.

UKIP Chairman Paul Oakden agreed with his former leader that he should not be allowed to retain his current seat.

He said this is because he won it as a UKIP candidate and another candidate who is waiting on the regional list deserves to get it.

He added he is 'disappointed' with Mr. Reckless' decision.

'Daniel Hannan orchestrated this'

Former UKIP fundraiser Arron Banks said he was a 'weak man.'

He accused Conservative MEP and Brexiteer Daniel Hannan of orchestrating Mr.

Reckless' and Mr. Carswell's defections.

Before defecting to UKIP, Mark Reckless had an established career in the Conservative Party.

In between 2002-04, he was a member of the policy unit at Conservative Central Office where he published books on deregulation policy and helped craft the policy on police and crime commissioners.

He was later elected as a member of parliament in 2010 with a 9,953 majority for the Conservatives.

Mr. Reckless also stood in the Medway constituency in 2001 and 2005, cutting Labour's majority to 3780 in 2001 and 213 in 2005. He also served as a councillor in the same constituency in between 2007-2011.

He served on the Home Affairs Select Committee after becoming an MP in 2010. He made a name for himself by arguing for the deportations of Abu Hamza and Abu Qatada.