Conservative MP Priti Patel said her UK Independence Party candidate father was entitled to his own political views, but said the electorate should vote against him tomorrow.

The Witham MP told the EADT that as far as she knew Sushil Patel - the former Ipswich grocery store owner - was still standing and his name was on the nomination paper.

His candidacy in a Hertfordshire seat was thrown into confusion on Tuesday after he told journalists that he was withdrawing after his party leader highlighted his connection to his high profile Conservative politician daughter.

But UKIP issued a statement ninety minutes later stressing that Mr Patel was still standing for election, adding that he was “currently convalescing from a recent serious operation and is unable to conduct any further interviews”.

Mr Patel said in Ukip’s statement: “I am proud of being a Ukip candidate and very proud of the achievements of my daughter who represents the people of Witham in an exemplary fashion.

“My views are my own and I am astonished that there has been quite so much interest in my candidacy.”

UKIP leader Nigel Farage announced Mr Patel as a candidate during a rally in David Miliband’s former South Shields constituency on Tuesday.

Miss Patel strongly denied that pressure had been put on Mr Patel to stand down by Number 10.

She said: “As far as I know he is still standing. His name is on the nomination paper.”

She admitted that she had not known that he was standing as a candidate, but added: “He is entitled to his own political views. I am an opinionated person so it is no surprise that he is.”

Questioned on whether she wanted people to back him in the local elections she said:

“It goes without saying I am wearing my blue rosette.”

In an interview on the World at One prime minister David Cameron said that there were often split loyalties in families.

He said: “It is a free country and people will decide which party they want to stand for. You often get split loyalties in families.”

The Conservative party is braced for a significant haemorrhage of voters to the eurosceptic party in tomorrow’s local elections.

Mr Patel’s name will be on the ballot paper in Hertfordshire, along with more than 1,000 UK Independence Party candidates hoping to make significant gains.

Mr Cameron said yesterday he would not engage in insulting the UK Independence Party (Ukip) despite continued sniping from fellow Tory ministers.

In bitter exchanges over the weekend, Cabinet minister Ken Clarke branded Ukip politicians “clowns” and some of its supporters racist.

Foreign Secretary William Hague echoed his attack today - saying the party’s economic policies did suggest a “clown-like aspect”.

Mr Cameron famously dismissed Ukip members in 2006 as “fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists, mostly”.