Nigel Farage rules out running for Ukip leadership after sacking of Henry Bolton

Nigel Farage has ruled out running for the Ukip leadership after Henry Bolton was ejected as leader during an emergency conference.

The decision was made at a crisis meeting of around 1,500 Ukip members after the party’s ruling body – the National Executive Body (NEC) - voted no confidence in Mr Bolton last month.

After he refused to step down, he was forced to make his case to the membership but lost the no confidence motion by 867 to 500 votes.

Mr Farage who has led the party on three separate occasions said he was not surprised by the outcome but ruled out any return to the party.

“To those of you who think I will come as UKIP leader in this contest. I wouldn’t even consider it,” Mr Farage said on LBC.

“The party needs to reform fundamentally or it will continue to flatline.”

Mr Farage added that his interest in the party was at its lowest point in the last 25 years.

He had previously said that the party was “collapsing” and he looks at the party with “dismay and disbelief”.

“Make no mistake, Ukip is collapsing. There is no point in pretending it is not,” the former leader wrote in the Daily Telegraph.

“The basic structures of the party organisation are disappearing; branches are closing and many of the sitting councillors in the forthcoming elections wish to run as independents.

“After more than 20 years of touring the country, addressing 1,500 public meetings at which I pushed the Ukip message and built up the party, I look on the latest twist in its 25-year history with a mixture of dismay and disbelief.”