THE Ukip group leader at Southend Council has been permanently expelled from the party.

James Moyies, councillor for West Shoebury, was suspended from the party in January after he alongside Ukip members Tino Callaghan, Lawrence Davies, and Lee Burling voted unanimously to kick out Parliamentary candidate Floyd Waterworth from their group on Southend Council.

Following a disciplinary panel hearing today, Mr Moyies has been permanently expelled from the party.

A Ukip spokesman said: "Today a disciplinary panel heard an appeal from Councillor James Moyies. It is clear that the relationship between Cllr Moyies and the party has deteriorated completely and this panel unanimously takes the view that the only course of action is to expel him from the Party permanently."

Floyd Waterworth, parliamentary candidate for UKIP in Rochford and Southend East said: “This announcement of UKIP expelling Cllr Moyies is welcome.

“It is now time for us to move on. We will be announcing the first tranche of our local election candidates in the next few days and then we will be working hard for a set of great results across Southend in May.”

Mr Moyies says he will remain as Ukip group leader at Southend Council and made a statement on Twitter following his expulsion from the party- a decision he says he knew nothing about.