Douglas Carswell breaks cover and says Farage ‘needs to take a break now’

Nigel Farage said today his critics need to put up or shut up and Douglas Carswell has chosen the former. Confirming that he is the ‘senior figure’ Farage mentioned earlier, the Clacton MP has written an op-ed in the Times tomorrow calling for a change in direction. He says that ‘Ukip has arrived — and Ukip is here to stay’ but calls for Farage to step aside as leader, temporarily or permanently:

‘On Monday, Ukip’s national executive committee made a decision to reinstate Nigel as party leader. Yet even leaders need to take a break. Nigel needs to take a break now.’

But in classic Carswell style, he denies that he wants to lead the party himself. In an echo of his campaign to remove Michael Martin has speaker — see this Guardian op-ed he wrote in May 2009 — he criticises Farage’s leadership in harsh words but rules himself out from taking over. over. As with Martin, it’s not that Carswell wants to be king: he just wants to have the right king.