SIR – The media keeps referring to Douglas Carswell’s “historic victory” in last week’s Clacton by-election but nothing changes, only the name of the party he represents.

Both he and Nigel Farage made it clear on Sunday TV that in the event of a hung parliament next year, Ukip would prop up a Tory minority government, at the same time they had nothing to say about the UK workers suffering the longest and most severe decline in real earnings since records began in Victorian times.

John Appleyard, Firthcliffe Parade, Liversedge