BRIGHTON and Hove could have up to three Ukip councillors before May’s election, according to the local party chairman.

Brighton and Hove Ukip chairman Nigel Carter told The Argus that the defection of Labour councillor Leigh Farrow last week might not be the last before next year’s elections.

He added that his party had been in discussions with more than 20 local members of rival parties over possible defections but said the process was a slow one because the decision to change political allegiance was similar to a divorce.

Rival parties said they were not concerned about defectors to Ukip as the party had previously failed to establish itself as a factor in the city.

Mr Carter claims to have had talks with 23 local party members about joining Ukip in recent months.

He said: “We have been talking to some people for months because for people who have been in a party for a long time, changing sides is like a divorce. It is breaking down a central part of their lives.

“It’s a big, big switch and not something that happens overnight.

“We are wary about who we accept because if we have turncoats coming to us, they might turn again, and we don’t want professional politician types who just look after themselves.”

Mr Carter said he was hoping the party could field a candidate for every seat on the council but conceded the party might only reach about 40.

He said the next wave of candidates will be announced next month.

Linda Freeman, Brighton and Hove Conservative Party chairwoman, said: “They are on another planet. They are not on our radar at all.

“You tend to find the people who have gone over to Ukip are people who didn’t get chosen by their own party.

“We have seen that with Leigh Farrow who didn’t get chosen by Labour and went over to Ukip.”

A Labour spokesman said they did not anticipate any further defections and that the case of Leigh Farrow was “unique” as he had already been dropped as a candidate by the party.

He said that another councillor had been doorstepped by Ukip but he had declined to swap allegiance.

He added: “If voters are trying to decide whether to vote for Ukip or for us, we always remind them that Ukip is in favour of cutting workplace rights, such as maternity pay and paid holidays, and want to privatise the NHS.”