Nigel Farage Resigns As Leader of UK Independence Party

In the wake of the successful Brexit vote, one of the men responsible for the Leave campaign’s victory has announced he is stepping down. Nigel Farage announced on Monday that he would be stepping down as the leader of the UK Independence Party.

Farage says that the party is in a strong position and that he has no desire to become a career politician. “I came into this struggle from business because I wanted us to be a self-governing nation, not to become a career politician. During the referendum campaign, I said I want my country back. What I’m saying today is I want my life back.”

There has been no official announcement as to who will replace Farage, but he’s said he will support whoever is chosen to replace him. One woman who is currently interested in the role is Suzanne Evans though she is currently suspended from the party until September. “I’ve always said if Nigel ever stood down for whatever reason, I’d love to have the opportunity to lead UKIP but I’m in this rather bizarre situation that despite people wanting me to do that and wanting to do it myself, I’m actually technically suspended from the party at the moment until the end of September.”

It’s possible that Farage’s departure could mark the end of UKIP itself as one of the party’s main donors, Arron Banks,  says that UKIP may need to be disbanded and a new party formed in its wake.  “I think Ukip needs to be reformed root and branch and we will be looking at that. With a million supporters there’s also a wonderful opportunity if we want to do something, to back something. I think a new party, a brand new party.’ UKip’s future is still in doubt, but Banks is hopeful that the movement could potentially supplant the Labour Party as the main rival to the Conservatives.

We’ll have more on UKip and post-Brexit UK as this story develops.

Featured image via Flickr/Chatham House.