Nigel Farage has said he will not be making a return to British politics after a general election was called.
The Reform UK honorary president and former UKIP leader said he had thought “long and hard” as to whether he should stand to become an MP in the 4 July general election announced on Wednesday, but said “it is not the right time”.
Mr Farage said although the general election is important, the United States election in November “has huge global significance” so he has chosen to “help with the grassroots campaign” there as a “strong America…is vital for our peace and security”.
Reform UK leader Richard Tice told Sky News Mr Farage will still help with their election campaign, which he is “absolutely thrilled” with, and said the Reform co-founder will be “very busy” during the campaign.
Brexiteer Mr Farage said the choice between Labour and the Conservatives in the UK “is uninspiring, and only Reform have the radical agenda that is needed to end decline in this country”.
More from Politics
Mr Farage, a former I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here contestant, said he is “fully supportive” of Reform UK leader Richard Tice and urged voters “to put their trust in him and Lee Anderson”, the party’s only MP.
He has stood to be an MP for various parties seven times but has lost each by significant margins.
Advertisement
Now a TV personality, he was an MEP in Europe from 1999 to 2020 from where he was a vocal critic of the EU and led the charge for Brexit.
In 2021, he resigned as leader of Reform to focus on a TV career as a presenter on GB News.
At the same time, he has been building up a career in the US, helping the Trump campaign in 2016 and speaking at his rallies.
In 2020, Mr Farage was exempted from the US travel ban during COVID due to “national interest” so he could help Mr Trump prepare for his election rallies.
In 2021, he went on a six-week tour of the US entitled “America’s Comeback Tour”, where he addressed Republican grassroots audiences across the country.
Spreaker
This content is provided by Spreaker, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Spreaker cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Spreaker cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow Spreaker cookies for this session only.
Mr Trump previously called for Mr Farage to be made British ambassador to the US, which was rejected by the UK government.
Mr Tice, launching Reform UK’s election campaign on Thursday, insisted the party is “going to win seats” and “we’re going to surprise everybody”.
He said the party has “about 500” candidates, with another “couple of hundred going through the process” as he pledged to stand 630 Reform UK candidates across England, Wales and Scotland.
A woman has suffered life-changing injuries after being stabbed by a member of the public at the accident and emergency department where she was working.
The victim – believed to be a nurse in her 50s – was attacked at Royal Oldham Hospital in Greater Manchester, where she is now being treated.
It is understood she was injured with a bladed article or a sharp instrument – and not by a knife.
Officers were called at 11.30pm on Saturday.
A 37-year-old man is in custody after being “swiftly arrested at the scene” on suspicion of attempted murder, Greater Manchester Police said.
Detectives are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident and say there is no threat to the wider public.
Jim McMahon, the Labour MP for the area, described it as a “senseless attack”.
He posted on Facebook: “We are all shocked at the senseless attack on a nurse in the A&E department of the Royal Oldham Hospital.
“Our thoughts are with the nurse, family and friends as we wish a full recovery.”
Detective Sergeant Craig Roters said it was a “serious incident which has left a woman in a critical condition”.
The victim’s family and colleagues will be supported, he added.
The local community can expect to see an “increase in police presence” while enquiries are carried out, Mr Roters said.
“We know that news of this nature will come as a shock, and if you have any concerns or anything you would like to share, please speak to [officers].”
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Timesthe properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.