Ukip have released a new election pledge card that does not feature the word immigration, as the party attempts to stem a dip in the polls.

Nigel Farage, the leader of the arch-eurosceptic party, said that his party's five promises had the backing of a "majority" of people in the UK.

But opponents were quick to point out that the party failed to talk mention migration, despite accusing others of ducking the issue.

Mr Farage himself admitted that his party had seen its support fall in recent months.

"We have dipped a little bit over the last two months, but not markedly," he said.

Later he hinted he had had recent discussion with other Tory MPs considering defection to Ukip.

Party sources also said they had dealt with immigration in the pledge card, by pledging to control borders.

The other promises include to leave the EU, spend £3 billion more on the NHS, cut foreign aid spending and scrap income tax on the minimum wage.

Mr Farage also admitted that the pledge card was a Blairite tactic, saying it had "worked" for the former Labour leader.

The card itself featured a picture of Mr Farage , despite comments by the controversial politician that he did not want his party to be a one-man band.

A poll ComRes overnight showed that the party had fallen to 12 per cent.

Others polls have suggested that Ukip is suffering from a political squeeze - as voters desert it for larger parties like the Tories.

Meanwhile, a leading Ukip politician said that he had " no plans" to stand in any leadership contest after May.

Mr Farage has said that he will resign if he fails to become an MP at the election.

Mark Reckless, one of only two Ukip MPs to ever have been elected to Westminster, said that Mr Farage would remain leader for years to come and lead the party to "greater and greater heights".

The former Tory MP, who defected last year and who is Ukip's candidate in Rochester and Strood, said: "I have no plans to stand for the leadership.

"There is no vacancy... I believe he is going to win Thanet South. I believe he will stay as our leader for many, many more years and lead our party to greater and greater heights."

Asked why the word immigration did not appear on the pledge card, he said "control our borders" was a "very good description" of the party's immigration policy.

Pressed to say whether the party considered the word too negative, he added: "We would like to make immigration a positive word.

"We welcome people with the skills we need in our country, rather than people seeing immigration as a negative because government has let them down and failed to control our borders.

"That's what Ukip will do by getting out of the EU, having a fair non discriminatory immigration system to control our borders."