UKIP Bosses Step Down Following Farage Row

UKIP MEP Patrick O'Flynn has apologised to party leader Nigel Farage for calling him "snarling, thin-skinned and aggressive".

The former journalist told colleagues he felt "sincere regret" for giving the hostile newspaper interview after Mr Farage remained in his role despite promising to quit if he failed to win a seat in the House of Commons.

Acrimony had broken out in the party ranks following the party executive's decision to reject Mr Farage's resignation.

The comments led to open party warfare, with several senior UKIP figures calling for Mr Farage to stand down, while others lined up to defend him and two key officials lost their jobs.

Meanwhile, the party's deputy chairman Suzanne Evans has confirmed she will no longer be the party's policy chief.

In a statement she said that while the contract for the role ends next week, she will remain in her "voluntary post" as deputy chairman.

Ms Evans said on Sunday that Mr Farage should take a two-week holiday before returning to lead the party.

She added in an interview with the BBC that Mr Farage must "actually solicit feedback" and that UKIP was not a "one man band".

The party said no decision has been made as to what role Mark Reckless, who defected to UKIP but lost his seat at the election, will now play, amid reports he could replace Ms Evans as policy chief.

In a statement, Mr O'Flynn also revealed he would be stepping down as the party's economic spokesman.

He said: "I would like to express to colleagues my sincere regret at going public with my frustrations about the turn of events following polling day."

"And more than that, I would like to apologise directly to Nigel for the phrase 'snarling, thin-skinned and aggressive'.

"This was a fragment of a wider passage about perceptions and is not what I think of him.

"Nonetheless, I should have known better than anyone what use would be made of phrases that were both unfair and unkind.

In response, Mr Farage said he accepted the resignation "with some sadness".

He said: "Patrick O'Flynn came in person to tell me he had realised that he had made a mistake and, being the honourable man that he is, tendered his resignation as UKIP economics spokesman.

"I accepted his resignation with some sadness, not least because he is very able and has been a great asset to the team.

"He continues to be a committed UKIP member and MEP."

Mr Farage promised to resign the leadership if he lost the Thanet South constituency at the General Election and followed through on his pledge within minutes of defeat being confirmed.

The U-turn came after party officials said he retained strong backing from party members.

But after the shock reverse, Mr O'Flynn told The Times UKIP was at risk of being turned into a "personality cult" and said there were "a couple of advisers who are pushing Nigel in the wrong direction both in terms of policy and style of leadership".

The party's sole MP - former Conservative Douglas Carswell - urged Mr Farage to "take a break" in the aftermath of the campaign.

Mr Carswell also criticised his leader's "ill advised" decision to raise concerns about immigrants coming to Britain for HIV treatment, saying UKIP had not been striking the right "tone".

The pair were subsequently accused by Mr Farage's former chief of staff Raheem Kassam, one of those who left during the row, of bringing UKIP into "national disrepute".

The party secured more than 12% of the national vote in the election, but finished up with only one seat in the Commons.