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Suzanne Evans and Paul Nuttall both run for UKIP leadership | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Suzanne Evans and Paul Nuttall have both announced they are to run for the leadership of UKIP, with both promising to unite the troubled party. | |
Ms Evans said she would make the party less "toxic" and aim to occupy the "common sense centre" ground. | |
Mr Nuttall said he has "huge support" among both the grassroots and the top of the party. | |
However, interim leader Nigel Farage, speaking about Ms Evans' bid, said: "I won't be voting for her." | |
Ms Evans told the BBC's Andrew Marr show she hoped to "pour oil on troubled water" after there had been "a bit too much testosterone" in UKIP". | |
Former leadership hopeful Steven Woolfe quit UKIP this week after an altercation with a party colleague. | |
Ms Evans accused leadership rival Raheem Kassam of seeking to take the party too far to the right. | |
'Project fear tactic' | |
Mr Farage told ITV's Peston: "I don't doubt she has ability, it's just a question of political direction and to kick off her campaign decrying one of the declared candidates is not what we needed." | |
Mr Kassam responded to Ms Evans' accusation on Twitter, saying: "It is sad that 60 seconds after she launched her campaign on the BBC, Suzanne Evans attacked me and my thousands of supporters as 'far right'. | |
"This is a project fear tactic and UKIPers are sick of these smears." | |
Mr Kassam also invited Ms Evans to meet him to "discuss her concerns" as soon as possible. | |
Mr Farage is back in charge as interim leader after Diane James, who was elected as his successor when he stepped down after the Brexit vote, quit after 18 days in charge. | Mr Farage is back in charge as interim leader after Diane James, who was elected as his successor when he stepped down after the Brexit vote, quit after 18 days in charge. |
Ms Evans was unable to run for leadership at the time after she failed to overturn a six-month suspension from the party. | Ms Evans was unable to run for leadership at the time after she failed to overturn a six-month suspension from the party. |
The ban arose after an internal disciplinary meeting found she publicly criticised a fellow candidate and held herself out as a party spokeswoman without authority. | The ban arose after an internal disciplinary meeting found she publicly criticised a fellow candidate and held herself out as a party spokeswoman without authority. |
Nominations in the current leadership election close on 31 October, with the eventual winner announced on 28 November. | Nominations in the current leadership election close on 31 October, with the eventual winner announced on 28 November. |
'Tug-of-war' | 'Tug-of-war' |
Ms Evans said focusing on the centre ground meant: "Not the wishy washy Lib Dem centre," but a party capable of taking votes from both left and right. | |
"I think I'm the right person to lead the party into the challenges ahead, to be able to beat the first past the post system that we have at the moment by broadening our appeal and getting MPs into Westminster. | |
"But first and foremost I think I'm the right person to champion the cause of those 17.4 million people who voted to leave the European Union and who are now seeing their democratic choice undermined by the political class. | "But first and foremost I think I'm the right person to champion the cause of those 17.4 million people who voted to leave the European Union and who are now seeing their democratic choice undermined by the political class. |
"I absolutely want to be their champion. We are seeing hundreds of MPs trying to overturn the verdict, activists, lawyers trying to undermine the will of the people. | "I absolutely want to be their champion. We are seeing hundreds of MPs trying to overturn the verdict, activists, lawyers trying to undermine the will of the people. |
"I want to say to them 'don't you dare'. I will be there breathing down their neck to make sure that we have that tug-of-war. They are trying to pull us back to Brussels - I'm going to grab hold of the other end of the rope and make sure we pull us out to the EU exit door." | "I want to say to them 'don't you dare'. I will be there breathing down their neck to make sure that we have that tug-of-war. They are trying to pull us back to Brussels - I'm going to grab hold of the other end of the rope and make sure we pull us out to the EU exit door." |