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Farage to quit as leader of UKIP Farage to quit as leader of UKIP
(about 3 hours later)
Nigel Farage has said he intends to stand down as leader of the UK Independence Party to focus on gaining a seat at Westminster.Nigel Farage has said he intends to stand down as leader of the UK Independence Party to focus on gaining a seat at Westminster.
Mr Farage plans to take on Commons Speaker John Bercow in Buckingham.Mr Farage plans to take on Commons Speaker John Bercow in Buckingham.
He will continue to lead the party's MEPs but said leading the domestic party as well was too much.He will continue to lead the party's MEPs but said leading the domestic party as well was too much.
"I've also been the leader of the domestic party for the last three years and frankly doing both of those jobs is too much for any one person," he said."I've also been the leader of the domestic party for the last three years and frankly doing both of those jobs is too much for any one person," he said.
In his three years as leader, Mr Farage has raised the profile of the party, which campaigns for Britain's exit from the EU, through numerous media appearances.In his three years as leader, Mr Farage has raised the profile of the party, which campaigns for Britain's exit from the EU, through numerous media appearances.
He has also steered it to unprecedented success at the recent European elections, where it came second, beating Labour, and returned 13 MEPs. He has also steered it to unprecedented success at the recent European elections, where it came second, beating Labour, and returned 13 MEPs on 17% of the vote.
'Too big' 'Fewer jobs'
But he has also faced internal dissent over his leadership style and has found running a UK-based party when he is in Brussels and Strasbourg much of the time too much of a strain.But he has also faced internal dissent over his leadership style and has found running a UK-based party when he is in Brussels and Strasbourg much of the time too much of a strain.
The South East MEP will tell his party conference later that he is quitting a year before his term is up. The South East MEP told his party conference in Southport that he is quitting a year before his term is up in order to focus on winning a seat in the Commons - something the party has struggled to do in the past.
He believes the party, which has previously struggled to make an impact in Westminster's first-past-the-post elections, could be poised to gain its first MPs at the next general election, which must happen in the next nine months. I think I am better to the party doing fewer jobs better Nigel Farage UKIP class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8237728.stm">Analysis: Farage's decision
I simply have not got the time to take on the responsibility of planning, running and leading a national general election campaign Nigel Farage UKIP class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8237728.stm">Analysis: Farage's decision He told delegates: "I do think it is very important that UKIP gets a voice in Westminster."
Speaking to the BBC, Mr Farage said: "UKIP has become too big for one man to lead the political party in the [European] parliament and to lead the domestic party in this country. Explaining his decision to quit, he said: "It is just desperately hard to be leader of a group of people there and to be leader of a domestic political party here. Now that I have decided to fight the Buckingham seat as well, I have come to the conclusion that I may just have bitten off more than I can chew.
"We're going in to a general election campaign, we are going to fight over 500 constituencies, and I simply have not got the time to take on the responsibility of planning, running and leading a national general election campaign." "I think I am better to the party doing fewer jobs better."
He added: "And I'm not going to take that burden on because frankly it's too much and anyway I'm going to be busy in Buckingham taking on John Bercow." He said he wanted to continue as an MEP and leading the party in Brussels and Strasbourg, but added: "I simply can not take on the job of planning and executing a national general election campaign on top of all these things."
BBC political correspondent Ben Wright said a new leader would manage the party, run the election strategy and formulate policies and the leadership contest was expected to get under way next week. He told delegates his decision was a sign of the party's success, as it was becoming bigger and winning more seats at local as well as European elections and planning to field 500 candidates at the general election.
"This party has never been in better health than it is now and it is the right time to do this," he said to cheers and loud applause.
The contest to replace Mr Farage as leader is due to get underway next week.
On Thursday Mr Farage said he was standing in Mr Bercow's constituency because MPs "have broken the trust" of the British people and Mr Bercow "represents the worst" of the Commons.On Thursday Mr Farage said he was standing in Mr Bercow's constituency because MPs "have broken the trust" of the British people and Mr Bercow "represents the worst" of the Commons.
Convention rules that Speakers stay out of party politics. Labour and the Lib Dems will not stand against Mr Bercow.Convention rules that Speakers stay out of party politics. Labour and the Lib Dems will not stand against Mr Bercow.