THE Canvey Island Independent Party has refuted claims its members had signed up with Ukip.

However, an official statement on the party’s website has made it clear it would be happy to share power with the anti-EU party in future.

Ukip and the Independents have had an unofficial pact since October – a few months after Ukip won five seats on the council in May.

The Canvey Independents have also said they would back Ukip at general and local elections next May.

The statement on the party’s website says: “We have not joined Ukip.

“We have said we will work with it in a coalition to run Castle Point Council, as come May 2015, the Tories losing seats on the mainland is highly possible and we need to be prepared, should that be the result.”

However, Tory deputy council leader Bill Sharp is sceptical about the pact and says the Independents are already distancing themselves after losing a seat in the Canvey East by election.

He added: “They’re backing out of the coalition. That’s what it seems like to me.

“ I believe they’re trying to distance themselves from Ukip because their core vote was always Canvey for Canvey. I think, perhaps, Ukip has reached its peak and will go down again from here.

“The Independents lost the seat in Canvey East and it looks to me as if they understand they have made a bad judgment.”

Canvey Island Independent Party leader Dave Blackwell countered: “The Tories are trying to spread the rumour we have joined Ukip.

“We have not joined Ukip. All we’ve said is if Ukip takes more seats in Benfleet in May we are willing to work with it to run the council.

“The only way our party can help run the borough is to go in with another party.

“We are Canvey Island Independent Party and we will never change, but we are willing to work with anybody, if it means we are running Castle Point Council.”

Ukip’s Parliamentary candidate for Castle Point, Jamie Huntman, confirmed Mr Blackwell’s stance, saying: “We are working with the Canvey Independent Party.

“The Tories are playing on the politics of fear. They are trying to drive a wedge in.

“The Independents are backing us in the general election and we are working with them to work together on each candidate for the council seats next year. We are determined to work together.”

The row comes weeks after Canvey Independent councillor Steven Cole defected to the Tories over the Ukip issue, giving the minority Tory administration and overall majority and control of the council.