"This appointment of Mandelson shows that the European Union is a gravy train for failed politicians," he added, getting the war of political words off to a premature start.

"Hartlepool is a fishing port which has been decimated by the European fisheries policy," said a UKIP spokesman. "The Liberal Democrats will find it hard to justify their pro-European stance there. We can attract Old Labour voters who may not take kindly to seeing their MP desert them for Brussels."

www Ukip Uncovered