ALMOST everyone believes that the battle to be Stroud's next MP will be a two-horse race between Conservative Neil Carmichael and Labour's David Drew – but Caroline Stephens plans to pull off a huge surprise.

Mrs Stephens joined Ukip two years ago, having never previously been a member of a political party, but she is confident that despite being a relative newcomer she can cause a stir, saying: “There is a real chance Stroud could turn purple in a few weeks."

Though she lives in Chippenham, mother-of-two Mrs Stephens believes she is in tune with the issues unique to Stroud.

“I probably spend more time pounding the streets of Stroud thant other candidates who actually live here do," she said.

"I speak to a lot of people and know what people are concerned about.”

Although Europe and immigration are at the top of her priorities, she has also focused on issues affecting Stroud such as housing development, and backed Nigel Farage’s calls for a brownfield housing revolution.

She highlighted a net migration of 300,000 people to the UK in the lpast year, and stressed that Stroud was already feeling the need for more housing.

Mrs Stephens complained of a lack of democracy and sovereignty in the UK, stressing the power of Brussels in Europe.

“We believe in making the UK a fully democratic country again, which can only be done by leaving the EU,” she said Mrs Stephens.

She said Ukip would save £8billion a year from leaving the EU, which would be redirected into health and education.

She also favoured an Australian-style points-based system of immigration into the UK.

The ex-maths teacher went on to stress the need for an increase in defence spending and her support for the renewal of Trident.

She is also in favour of cutting the foreign aid budget, which had been ring-fenced by the coalition government.

“Taxpayers' money should be used for local services, not squandered away to the EU and lost in foreign aid,” she said.

The Ukip policy she holds most dear is on the NHS and she is fully committed to seeing an extra £3billion – funded by leaving the EU – injected into the health service.

“Helping people is in my DNA,” she said.

Though remaining coy over her personal opinion of the controversial Javelin Park incinerator, she stressed that with Ukip’s policy of local referendums for local issues, the constituents would have the final say.

“I want to put people power first,” she said.

Mrs Stephens also played down worries about the extreme views of some Ukip members, stressing that “anyone who has ever said anything totally outrageous has been gotten rid of immediately”.

And she is confident Ukip can continue the success they enjoyed at the EU elections.

“We have already had a massive impact on the political landscape of the UK, and I think we’ll continue to in the future.

“Hopefully I can be among the Ukip MPs that will shake up the Westminster system.”

Click here to read the full interview