Mr Carswell spoke alongside Bill Etheridge MEP and Suzanne Evans, Ukip's Parliamentary candidate for Shrewsbury and Atcham.

Speaking of his experience as an MP, Mr Carswell made the case for change in Westminster, which he said is "a cosy cartel" made up mostly of MPs who've moved from private school, to studying philosophy, politics and economics at Oxbridge, to working for MPs, to becoming MPs themselves, without any idea of real life and without any sense that they are accountable to the people of this country.

"In effect they are puppets controlled by a top down dictatorship on which their careers depend," he said.

"They fear the party whips far more than the wrath of their constituents. Ukip would break this cartel and provide a genuine opposition in Parliament."

He also said David Cameron was not serious about EU reform, and called his promise to offer a vote to the people nothing more than a 'pretend-a-rendum."

Suzanne Evans, Ukip's deputy chairman, spoke about her priorities for Shrewsbury and Atcham. At the top of that list is keeping accident and emergency services at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital open.

She said: "I have used the A&E at Shrewsbury, as have my family and friends. In fact one of my friends had cause to use it only last week and it made a huge difference to her."

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"Ambulances are well equipped these days, but having an A&E department close by can be the difference between life and death."

Ms Evans also spoke of her concerns about the loss of agricultural land to building development.

She said: "We want the final say on such developments to be given to local people.

"We cannot concrete over prime agricultural land and still grow enough food for the population. I am passionate about home grown food and I think a lot of people are.

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"We want to see more priority given to developments on brownfield sites and also a greater use made of empty houses."

Bill Etheridge MEP highlighted how the party leaders in the UK say one thing about their plans for the EU, and then get their MEPs to behave quite differently when 'push comes to shove.'

Ms Evans said she was pleased with how the evening had gone and delighted that it had been standing-room only at the event on Friday.