Diane James resignation, the NEC and the heart of UKIP

Diane James has resigned from UKIP, citing an "increasingly difficult" relationship with the party and lack of support from the NEC during her brief stint as leader.

There have been a few senior resignations or defections since the referendum which, whilst disappointing, isn't particularly concerning. What we're seeing is the Tories in UKIP clothing and protest members going back to their old political lives and those who are left behind are the real UKIPpers.

What is of concern is Diane's comments about the NEC. It's a common criticism amongst those that are leaving the party under a cloud that the NEC are making irrational decisions and are impossible to deal with. The NEC can't keep lurching from one disaster to the next and not take responsibility. We need to not only bring in fresh blood in the NEC elections that close this week but look at how the NEC needs to change to make it work better for the party and its members.

Leadership contender, Suzanne Evans, has suggested that Diane Evans should resign along with Steven Woolfe, Amjid Bashir and Janice Atkinson as UKIP was elected not them as individuals and she's right. UKIP won 24 seats in the EU elections and those seats should be filled by UKIP MEPs. That's what people voted for and that's what they should get.

There will probably be more people walking away from UKIP in the coming months who came along for the ride but were never really UKIPpers at heart. UKIP is its grassroots members and supporters - those of us who stand in council elections, hang around on street corners giving out leaflets, put up posters and work for the communities we live in - and while we're still doing our bit on the ground the party will survive and thrive despite the tantrums, politicking and manoeuvring at the top.

Diane James resignation statement

Diane James has released a statement confirming her resignation as leader and citing a lack of authority with party officers and MEPs as her reason for quitting.

It has been suggested that this means Nigel Farage is still technically leader but he resigned some time ago. The Electoral Commission may still have him listed as leader because Diane James didn't formally accept her nomination but he isn't the leader of the party any more.

Who will take the reins while a new leadership election is held is a bit of a mystery. Paul Nuttall resigned as deputy leader at the party conference last month and no replacement has been appointed. Presumably that will fall to Paul Oakden as party chairman.

Here is Diane's statement in full:

It is with great regret that I announce that I will not be formalising my recent nomination to become the new Leader of the party with the Electoral Commission.

Having won the enthusiastic support of party members, I was nominated by them as the new Leader at the recent UKIP Bournemouth conference.

Since that time, I have been in discussion with party officers about the role. It has become clear that I do not have sufficient authority, nor the full support of all my MEP colleagues and party officers to implement changes I believe necessary and upon which I based my campaign.

For personal and professional reasons, therefore, I will not take the election process further.

I will continue to concentrate fully on my activities and responsibilities as an elected Ukip Member of the European Parliament for SE UK region.

This is my final media statement on this issue.

Confirmed: Diane James resigns

Multiple sources are reporting that Diane James has resigned as leader just 18 days after her election.

According to the reports she has stepped down because of her husband's ill health.

We have not yet been able to verify the claims. Resignation confirmed by reliable sources.

Diane James will meet UKIP's AMs to try and unite the party in Wales

Diane James is meeting with UKIP's Welsh Assembly Members to try and get work through the divisions that have plagued the group since the elections this year.

Neil Hamilton has entered Welsh politics with the tact and diplomacy of Donald Trump (ok, maybe not that bad) and in a few short months came close to losing the party one of its MEPs and an AM and then turned his attention on the chairman of Caerphilly branch who works for Nathan Gill and has been critical of Hamilton.

Nathan Gill remains chairman of UKIP Wales, a post that is appointed by the leader of the national party whilst Neil Hamilton is leader of the UKIP group in the Senedd which is a position he was elected to by the party's AMs. Both have called for the party to unite behind our new leader, let's hope that includes the pair of them!

It's time to put aside our differences and unite behind our new leader

Diane James was elected leader of UKIP today by a large majority.

A total of 17,842 votes were cast in the leadership election with around 50% of eligible members voting.

The leadership contest has caused some divisions in the party but now it's time to get behind our new leader and win elections. The Tories can't be trusted to deliver on Brexit or any of the UKIP policies they've been talking about. Labour and the Lib Dems are both committed to reversing the referendum decision and blocking Brexit. Winning the referendum was just the first battle in our war for independence and we won't win that war without UKIP.

Candidate	Votes	%
Diane James	8,451	47.4%
Lisa Duffy	4,591	25.7%
Bill Etheridge	2,052	11.5%
Phillip Broughton	1,545	8.7%
Liz Jones	1,203	6.7%

Breaking: Diane James elected leader of UKIP

Diane James has been elected leader of UKIP by the party membership.

Our own polling on social media had Diane way out in front for the duration of the contest.

Diane will be seen as a safe pair of hands, pledging to retain UKIP's current manifesto rather than rip it up and steer the party in a different direction. She rightly said that UKIP's manifesto doesn't need changing, it's already reflective of what the party stands for.

Diane James responds to EU Court of Human Rights ruling that prisoners must be given the vote

Diane James has criticised the EU Court of Human Rights' decision to uphold an earlier judgement that says not allowing prisoners to vote is a breach of their human rights.

This case highlights that a foreign court with inexperienced judges has final say over the British justice system. The ECHR has not pulled back one inch in demanding its right to be the final judge.

UKIP believes that it should be the British parliament which should have the final decision on which laws are implemented in the Britain.

There should be no unwarranted interference in a national issue.

This European court has a history of giving succour to murderers and terrorists. The only way to escape the intervention of this court is the leave the EU itself. David Cameron is deluding people when he says he will try to curb the power of the ECHR without leaving the EU.