A HIGH-PROFILE Newport defector to UKIP has announced his return to the Conservative Party.

William Routley was a Cabinet member for the environment in Newport and the chairman of Newport Transport.

He started his political career as a Labour councillor in Stow Hill, defected to the Conservatives then lost his seat in 2012 and joined UKIP six months ago. UKIP leader Nigel Farage unveiled him as one of the new faces of the Eurosceptic right wing party at its Welsh conference in Margam Park.

After the switch back, Mr Routley said: “I feel like I’ve been on walkabout but I’m back home now with my political family.”

After speaking to South Wales East AM Mohammad Asghar and his daughter Newport East Tory candidate Natasha Asghar on Monday he said he was ready to return to the fold, if this is approved by the area chairman.

The decision was not based on problems with UKIP locally, he said, but a conviction that the Conservatives were the only party realistically placed to offer a referendum on European Union membership.

“I haven’t been able to gauge any reaction from UKIP,” he said. “I hope I will continue friendships within the party. This is a purely political judgement. I realised it might not have been an advantageous move I had made.”

When he left the Tories initially he told the Argus: “The main mantra coming from the public is that there is no difference between Labour, the Tories or the Liberal Democrats.

“This type of cosiness it seems is resulting in people not voting in elections.

“Ukip is from the people, to the people, for the people. It’s a people party.

“It reminds me of a party that has all the traditional working-class British values and yet it is classless.

“It is like a mirror reflecting back what people want. I am so glad I am part of that at this stage.”

He said today: “I don’t think UKIP have done anything wrong. They have raised the [European] issue nationally. But they are not able to address the issue. They will not have enough MPs in parliament. Their powerbase in Europe has had no effect on the conditions we find ourselves in.”

He said Mohammad Asghar and Natasha Asghar had “absolutely welcomed me back into the fold, to name but a few.”

A UKIP spokesman said: It appears Mr Routley has fallen for David Cameron's slick sales pitch. Sadly though, UKIP understand from history (remember the Cast Iron Guarantee?) that 'Dave' can't be trusted to deliver on his promises. If he had delivered when he had the chance the Conservatives may be on course to win a majority at this election, but instead they look likely to fall short of achieving that. And Ed Milliband's likely failure to win a majority is also undoubtedly attributable, in part, to his refusal to give the British people a say on who governs them. The message from the British people is clear - respect us, don't lie to us and don't take our support for granted."

"In terms of Mr Routley's membership: we would say that whilst it is always unfortunate to lose a member, winning votes is what matters, and UKIP are on-course to win millions of votes in this election. Only then, with UKIP holding the balance of power, will the British people get the free and fair referendum they demand."