SHAMED former Ukip councillor Kerry Smith claims he was “drunk” when he made homophobic and racist remarks and says he is no worse than “Del Boy”.

Mr Smith resigned from Ukip yesterday just two days after having to quit as the party’s parliamentary candidate for South Basildon and East Thurrock after it emerged he had referred to a Chinese woman as a “Chinky” and gay people as “pooftahs” in a taped phone conversation.

Ukip activist Joanne Cunningham, now a caseworker for the party’s Eastern Region MEP Tim Aker, has been named by Mr Smith as the other person on the tape – something she denies.

Mr Smith, who will now serve as an independent councillor on Basildon borough and Essex county councils, said he regretted making the remarks two and a half years ago, but added they were “no worse” than things uttered by TV market trader Del Boy from BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses.

Mr Smith said: “I regret what I said. I had two slipped discs at the time and was on painkillers co-codomol and diclofenac. I was in a bad place and it was so painful in the evening I would just hit the bottle.

"But the language was no worse than Del Boy’s.

“I was talking to Jo Cunningham on the phone in 2012 when I said that stuff. I had no idea it was being recorded and then sat on for more than two years. The recording has been edited though because you cannot hear what she was saying on the other end.”

In a statement, Mr Smith said: “It was a stupid thing to say, but it was three years ago, and that’s history. I’m a bit older and a bit wiser now, and I’ve certainly learnt a lot over the past four days.

"I had expected loyalty from my colleagues, and with a few exceptions didn’t get it.”

The contest for the South Basildon seat has been difficult for Ukip.

Mr Smith was selected by the local branch this spring, but de-selected in October for being “inexperienced”.

Just ahead of a hustings last week, candidate Natasha Bolter quit the party after lodging a complaint with head office that Ukip General secretary Roger Bird sexually harassed her during the selection process – something he vehemently denies.

It then emerged former disgraced Tory MP Neil Hamilton was in the running for the seat, but he withdrew and Mr Smith was reselected unanimously.

He stepped down after details of the phone call appeared in the national press on Sunday.

The Echo contacted Ukip head office and Mr Aker, but got no response.

Ukip leader Nigel Farage said Mr Smith had resigned “by mutual consent”, and described his behaviour as “loutish and wholly inappropriate”

Mr Smith’s mum, Imelda Clancy, who had been a Ukip councillor for Pitsea North West, denied her son was racist and has also quit the party in a show of support.