UKIP 2, Conservatives nil

UKIP has had a double dose of good fortune this week with the defection to UKIP of Conservative councillor and former Mayor of Sefton, Councillor Alf Doran and the announcement that former Conservative donor, Stuart Wheeler, has joined UKIP and been appointed Party Treasurer.

Councillor Doran said he couldn't represent a party whose leader couldn't be trusted and has switched allegiances to UKIP.  He is due to stand for re-election next year and will sit as a UKIP councillor until then.

Stuart Wheeler, who holds the record for the UK's largest single political donation of £5m to the Conservatives in 2001, was booted out of the Conservatives last year for donating £100,000 to UKIP's election campaign.  He formed his own party shortly afterwards to contest an election but failed to retain his deposit and has now decided to return to mainstream politics with UKIP.  He joined UKIP and was appointed Party Treasurer by a vote of the NEC on Monday.

They say things come in three's.  Let's hope the third piece of good fortune is a UKIP win in Oldham & Saddleworth tomorrow.