Farage flags return as Ukip leader

Nigel Farage has declared he is ready to seek another stint as Ukip leader if the Brexit process is not “back on track” by March next year.

Mr Farage, who quit as leader following the 2016 EU referendum, called on Conservative MPS to submit no confidence letters to get rid of the “appalling” Theresa May. And he said he would return to the political frontline if the Brexit proposals brokered at Chequers on Friday were not ditched.

Speaking on LBC radio, Mr Farage said: “I’ve already said that if Article 50 gets suspended beyond 29 March, I will put myself back into full-time campaigning.

“I will add to that tonight. Gerard Batten, who is the leader of Ukip and has my confidence and support, his term as leader comes to an end in March of next year.

“There will be a leadership contest within Ukip in March next year. If Brexit is not back on track, if we’re not actually going to be leaving and if this Chequers agreement has not been broken, I will very seriously consider putting my name forward to run as leader of Ukip again.”

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou Mcdonald warned Ireland must not become collateral damage amid the “Tory civil war over Brexit”.

“Our sole priority is the protection of Irish interests north and south,” she said.

“The civil war within the Tory Party is a matter for the Tories and let no-one imagine that Ireland will be the collateral damage for the Tory Brexit or for that matter that we will pick up the tab for the Tory civil war.”

Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman meanwhile mocked Mrs May over Mr Johnson’s resignation by likening the government to a “leaky ship”. Maria Zakharova said it was clear the UK government was in “crisis” and suggested MPS concentrate on matters at home rather than “make up stories for Nato” – an apparent reference to the nerve agent poisonings.