Ukip is a second Conservative Party which is vain, Stalinist and extreme, a euro MP has claimed.

Richard Howitt, East of England Labour MEP, insisted the UK Independence Party's MEPs compete with their Tory counterparts to deny climate change.

And in his attack on the eurosceptic party, Mr Howitt also joked about how a Ukip councillor in Norfolk fell asleep within 10 minutes of his first meeting - putting the 'kip' in Ukip.

After praising the work of Labour MEPs, Mr Howitt told the Labour Party conference: 'Conservative MEPs have voted to stop action against people traffickers, against tax cheats, against domestic abuse, to reject European cash to help Britain's food banks, they even refused to condemn an attempt for the World Health Organisation to classify homosexuality as a disease. It really does matter who you elect to the European Parliament.'

Turning to Ukip, he said the words he put forward were actually descriptions used by Ukip members.

He said: 'Make no mistake - Ukip is a second Conservative party. It's fascinating to watch how Ukip and Tory MEPs compete to deny climate change. The only green thing about the Tories is their envy at Ukip's rise.

'Ukip - that totalitarian, climate-denying, vain, Stalinist, dictatorial, squabbling, discriminatory, extreme party called Ukip.

'When I say 'called' these are all things they have called themselves.

'After they got elected in Norfolk one of their councillors actually fell asleep within 10 minutes of his first council meeting, putting the 'kip' in Ukip.'