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Ukip leader Diane James resigns after 18 days in charge Ukip leader Diane James resigns after 18 days in charge
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Ukip leader Diane James has resigned after just over two weeks in charge of the party, senior sources have said.Ukip leader Diane James has resigned after just over two weeks in charge of the party, senior sources have said.
The shock twist in the Ukip story comes just 18 days after Ms James took the helm following a leadership contest.The shock twist in the Ukip story comes just 18 days after Ms James took the helm following a leadership contest.
Her departure has led to immediate speculation that Nigel Farage could come back to be Ukip leader for the third time in his political career.Her departure has led to immediate speculation that Nigel Farage could come back to be Ukip leader for the third time in his political career.
Ukip's only MP Douglas Carswell tweeted: “In the middle of supper. Not taking calls about UKIP stuff. It's shepherds pie, by the way.” Suzanne Evans, one potential contender to take over, told The Independent: "There's no leadership contest at the moment.
MEP Ms James was frontrunner in the leadership contest, which saw her declared winner on September 16 after taking 8,451 votes, some 46.2 per cent. "I'm not able to rule anything in or anything out."
During the leadership battle she promised to focus on Brexit negotiations but consistently refused to set out any policies, insisting she did not want to make it "on the hoof". Ms Evans led Ukip for a few days when Mr Farage resigned the first time and won praise after writing the party's election manifesto, but fell out of favour when Mr Farage returned.
She saw off a challenge from local politician Lisa Duffy, after other contenders Steven Woolfe and Suzanne Evans were ruled out.  Ukip's only MP Douglas Carswell, also seen as a possible candidate, simply tweeted: “In the middle of supper. Not taking calls about UKIP stuff. It's shepherds pie, by the way.”
MEP Steven Woolfe, the party's immigration spokesman who was ruled out of the previous contest due to a bureaucratic error, is said to be ready to take over if called upon. 
London Assembly Member Peter Whittle has also been praised following a competent performance during the London mayoral election.
Some Ukip insiders have suggested a new snap-leadership contest could be held to appoint someone to the top job rapidly.
Early reports suggested MEP Ms James was leaving due to family reasons. She had been the frontrunner in the leadership contest which ended on September 16 and saw her declared winner after taking 8,451 votes, some 46.2 per cent.
She saw off a challenge from local politician Lisa Duffy, after other contenders Mr Woolfe and Suzanne Evans were ruled out. 
During the leadership battle she promised to focus on Brexit negotiations but consistently refused to set out any policies, insisting she did not want to make it "on the hoof".
Party insiders suggested she had been pushed into standing and she also refused to take part in any of the leadership hustings, only taking questions at her own campaign events.
More to follow...More to follow...