Can Nigel Farage survive as leader of Ukip if he doesn’t become an MP? Although he stood in South Thanet ten years ago — and gained a meagre 5 per cent of the vote — he has much bigger hopes for the impending election. But the dangers are also much higher than ever before. As I wrote in the Spectator recently, if Farage doesn’t win South Thanet, his position as Ukip leader would become untenable. He admitted to me it ‘could be a car crash’ if he doesn’t become an MP.
Farage has publicly admitted today that South Thanet won’t be an easy fight and there is a huge danger if he doesn’t win. In the extracts in today’s Daily Telegraph from his new book The Purple Revolution, Farage confirms that he would have to stand down as leader if Ukip has a smattering of MPs and he isn’t one of them:
‘The consequences of me failing to secure a seat for myself in the Commons would be significant for me and the party.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in