UKIP Rival Scuppers Farage Question Time Appearance

Some political parties really don't know how to help themselves do they? Nigel Farage was invited to go on Question Time tonight and cancelled an important fund raising dinner to do so, figuring that an appearance on a programme with an audience of several million would do more for UKIP than a fundraising dinner.

But of course there's a UKIP leadership election going on at the moment, so one of his rival candidates took it upon himself to complain to the producers of Question Time, who instantly caved in and withdrew Farage's invitation to appear.

So in the week in which next year's EU budget was approved, UKIP now won't have any representation on Question Time tonight.

Rats in a sack. If they don't elect Farage we'll know they've lost what remaining marbles they have.

Farage Will Run "If I'm Fit & Well Enough"

My colleague at Total Politics, Jessica Freeman, has been digging around and wondering who might stand for UKIP leader. She's got confirmation from David Campbell-Bannerman that he will throw his hat into the ring, and also from Nigel Farage that he's considering running.

Speaking to Nigel Farage, it seems likely that he too will be contesting the leadership. "I'm sure lots of people will run but if I am fit enough and well enough then I'll think about it," he tells us.

Even to Farage, arguably the party's most well-known member, Pearson's announcement has come as a large shock. He tells us that he was unaware that Lord Pearson would be stepping down today. Understandably then, Farage may need a little time to consider his public response.

Read Jessica's story HERE.

Goodbye Pearson, Hello Farage?

Lord Pearson has this morning announced his resignation as leader of UKIP. He said...

"I took over as leader of UKIP last year to see the party through the General
Election, and said I would then consider my position. We increased our vote by
50%, and have many exciting plans for the future. But I have learnt that I am
not much good at party politics, which I do not enjoy. I am also 68, and need to
give more time to my wider interests. These include the treatment of people with
intellectual impairment, teacher training, the threat from Islamism and the
relationship between good and evil - not to mention my dogs and my family.

"So it is right that I should stand down on September 2nd, early in the
Parliament, to give a younger leader time to be established before the next
election, which may come sooner than we think. There is no shortage of talent in
UKIP, and the new leader will have my full support. I will continue to do what I
can to raise funds for the party."

Pearson is a lovely man but as he says, he certainly isn't cut out for party politics. But he did a reasonable job holding UKIP together after the departure of Nigel Farage.

The question is will Farage fancy a second stint as leader. I doubt it very much, especially after his plane crash.

But if not Nigel, then who?

UKIP Gets a New Leader

News has just broken that Lord Pearson has been elected leader of the UK Independence Party, succeeding the buccaneering Nigel Farage. Malcolm Pearson only joined UKIP a few years ago, having been a leading light (and donor) in the Conservative Party for many years.

He was clearly the most talented of the five contenders for the position (not difficult), but he has a very hard act to follow. Nigel Farage was a terrific leader for UKIP and gave them a profile they never had before. He certainly suffered setbacks along the way, but UKIP has many reasons to be grateful to him - not least that they still exist.

Farage now has the time to concentrate on his campaign to oust John Bercow from Buckingham at the next election, and I don't expect his media profile to diminish very much. If anything, freed from the shackles of office, he may actually become even more prominent.

But Lord Pearson is a powerful advocate and isn't shy himself in the media stakes. He hasn't got the man of the people appeal of Farage, but it will be interesting to see what the media makes of him. I can't say I wish him luck, but he is a fundamentally good man and it's always good to see decent people rise to the top of political parties, even when you disagree with them.

Could Farage Beat Bercow?

The news that Nigel Farage is intending to stand against John Bercow in Buckingham is the sort of political news I love. Nothing like putting a cat among the pigeons.

It raises a number of interesting points, not least how John Bercow will defend the seat without the campaigning and funding of his local Tory Party, and also what will happen to Conservatives who announce they would support Farage over Bercow. They could legitimately say that there was no Conservative candidate to vote for and therefore they should have a free choice. Tim Montgomerie has already said he would be tempted to give Farage his vote, justifying himself by saying: "It would be one way of getting a Speaker who wasn't the choice of Brown's Labour MPs."

I'm glad I don't live in Buckingham...

Ladbrokes are already quoting Farage at 4-1 to beat Bercow and become UKIP's first elected MP.

Full story HERE from Andrew Porter.

Nigel Farage Profile Now Online

In the May edition of GQ, I wrote a lengthy profile of UKIP leader Nigel Farage. Now that the issue is no longer on sale I have posted the whole thing HERE.

Your Views on Nigel Farage Please

I'm in the process of writing two European related articles at the moment, one on the President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Poettering for TOTAL POLITICS, and the second one on the leader of UKIP, Nigel Farage for GQ.

On Monday week I'm off to spend a couple of days in Strasburg to interview them both.

The Nigel Farage profile will be quite lengthy and personal. It will also look at UKIP's likely performance at the Euro elections in June and how important Nigel Farage is to the party, and what might happen to him afterwards. I should emphasise that I am writing this in very much the same way as I wrote the profile of the Milibands for GQ in November. My own political leanings go out the window - as far as is possible, anyway.

If anyone has any anecdotes or insights into Nigel's career, life and motivations, or indeed Nigel's reputation and popularity within UKIP, please do get in touch by email. iain AT iaindale DOT com.

And if you have any questions you'd like me to ask Hans-Gert Poettering, please do suggest them in the comments.

Farage & Medvedev: Separated at Birth?

Nigel Farage, Leader of UKIP

President Medvedev

Could they by any chance be related?