Margaret Thatcher is to blame for the growing popularity of UKIP, Tory Cabinet minister Eric Pickles has claimed.

The Local Government Secretary said the former Tory Prime Minister was 'such a phenomenal leader' that today's leaders are just 'shades of monotone'.

He said Nigel Farage's party were just 'a mirror image' the the main political parties - and should not be treated as radical outsiders.

Nigel Farage has benefited from today's politicians all having to accept Thatcher's legacy, claims Eric Pickles

Mr Pickles' comments are likely to cause anger in Number 10 over the suggestion that Mr Cameron does not have the pulling power of the late Lady Thatcher.

The Communities Secretary was asked in an interview with Total Politics magazine about the rise of UKIP.

He said: 'In many ways it's Mrs Thatcher's fault. She was such a phenomenal leader. She affected not just the Conservative Party but the Labour Party and the Lib Dems. She brought the middle ground to the right.

'What's the difference between what Blair was trying to do and the difference between Major and Blair? It becomes shades of monotone.

He added that the way to tackle UKIP was to 'connect with the man on the street'.

Mr Pickles said: 'It's always tempting for a political party to say "well, if we just do this, if we just have this policy, if we just make this pledge, it will shoot their fox". No.

'You've got to see these things in context. I don't doubt the next election is really a choice between 'do you want to see David Cameron or Ed Miliband through the door of Number 10'.

'I think people will make that decision, but it isn't enough for us to do that. The reason why UKIP has done well is something that we need to understand about the way we connect.'

Mr Pickles added: 'They're kind of a mirror image of us. I don't believe that UKIP is different from any other political party.

'It will have some very nice people within it; it will have some less nice people within it. I've always been of the view that there isn't a silver bullet about UKIP.

'It's not about Europe and it's not about immigration. It's about us. It's about the political system. And it's a rage against the machine.

'The only way you can beat UKIP is be good councillors, be good MPs, connect with the population, the man on the street, talk to folks and do all of the types of things you would do if you were fighting a Liberal.'

Thatcherite cabinet minister Eric Pickles said Mrs Thatcher had been so 'phenomenal' that other leaders paled in comparison

But he suggested the party's rise could actually benefit the Tories.

He said: 'I saw something on the doorstep this year which I hadn't seen before. I'm talking about Newark.

'It was, I think, in Bingham, in a sort of housing estate, a very traditional Labour voter, and they said they were going to vote Tory for the first time to keep UKIP out.

'That's very unusual. In all the years of fighting Liberals and the protest vote, I've never come across somebody who wanted to actually stop the protest vote.