Farage quits as leader (again!)

But did he time it to block arch-rival from getting job?

‘I want my life back’

NIGEL Farage resigned as Ukip leader yesterday – in a move that could stop an arch-rival from taking the job.

Stepping down for the second time in little over a year, Mr Farage, 52, said he had achieved his ambition to get ‘my country back’ after Britain voted to leave the EU and now wanted his life back.

Suzanne Evans, the party’s former deputy chairman, said she would ‘absolutely’ want to stand to replace him as leader of Ukip.

She temporarily had the top job following last year’s General Election after Mr Farage resigned as leader – only to be reinstated only three days later. But she is currently serving a six-month suspension after being accused of briefing against Ukip.

Mr Farage said there would be a new leader by the party conference in September – which means Miss Evans, 51, will just fall short of being able to run in the race unless she is reinstated early.

Last night a Ukip source denied suggestions that Mr Farage’s second resignation had been timed to stop his rival getting the job. Asked if she would like to stand, Miss Evans told the Mail: ‘Yes I absolutely would, but I’m not eligible as I’m currently suspended.’

She added: ‘I think there are a lot of people trying to undo my suspension and I’m very heartened to see that. The ball is firmly in the party’s court.’

Her suspension makes Steven Woolfe and Paul Nuttall, who are both Ukip MEPs in north-west England, the favourites to take over from Mr Farage. Mr Nuttall’s workingclass background stands him in good stead for helping the party win Labour votes in its former industrial heartlands.

Ukip’s only MP, Douglas Carswell – who has been locked in a bitter feud with Mr Farage – quickly ruled himself out. He said: ‘The chances of me standing to be Ukip leader are somewhere between nil and zero.’

In a speech in central London setting out Ukip’s strategy for the post-referendum period, Mr Farage said: ‘During the referendum campaign, I said I want my country back. What I’m saying today is I want my life back, and it begins right now.’

In a statement released by Ukip, he said: ‘I came into this struggle from business because I wanted us to be a self-governing nation, not to become a career politician.’

Mr Farage opened up the prospect of returning to the party if it looked like Britain was going to get a ‘rotten deal’ over the EU – but insisted that he would not change his mind again over quitting as leader.

An email to Ukip constituency officers about ‘the party line’ emphasised that it was Mr Farage’s decision to quit – and said he had not been pushed by members of his party. It read: ‘As most of you will have heard by now, Nigel has stepped down as leader of Ukip.

‘If you are contacted by members of the Press... please adopt the following approach... the decision was Nigel’s.’