The mayor of a town in South Buckinghamshire has officially defected to Ukip after the Bucks Free Press revealed last week that he was close to leaving the Conservative Party.

Beaconsfield district and town councillor Steve Jones says the response from the article published on Thursday “reinforced his desires and beliefs” to become a member of the party.

He represented the Tories for 14 years as a town councillor and 12 years as a district councillor.

Despite confirming his support for Ukip he has reiterated his plans to stand down from local politics and let younger blood take the reins.

Tim Scott, the Ukip parliamentary candidate for Beaconsfield, said: “I have known Steve for several years, and he has served Beaconsfield well. We are delighted to welcome him to UKIP, and it will be a boost for our campaign.”

Cllr Jones said: “I officially joined Ukip on Friday. The article [in the BFP] reinforced my desires and beliefs to join them.”

He added: “It’s the same old thing with the three main parties. They are not addressing the problems of this country. They just promise to throw money at everything without making any attempt to reduce the debt, currently running at £1.5trillion.

“They won’t talk publicly about the real cause behind these problems – our membership of the EU. We cannot go on absorbing millions of people into this country and then wonder why the NHS, our schools, our GP’s and our roads are under inordinate strain.

"The green belt should be protected not built on to cater for an ever increasing population.

“The people on the doorstep know that, but the three main parties will not discuss it.

“Cameron’s promise of a referendum on EU membership is a farce.

"Back in 2013 the Prime Minister promised that the British people would get a referendum in 2017, but only after he had negotiated a new settlement with the EU and that the referendum would only be based on the new terms he had agreed.

“We all know there will be no change to the founding principles of the EU, including the free movement of peoples across the 28 countries.

"Juncker, the President of the European Commission, has made that abundantly clear, time and time again.

"What we need is honesty from our politicians and that is what Nigel Farage gives us. He tells it as it is.”