Nigel Farage won’t stand at the 2024 General Election, opting for US campaigning instead

Former UKIP and Brexit party leader Nigel Farage has ruled himself out of running at the 2024 election.

The politician wrote on X he had “thought long and hard” about throwing his hat into the ring, but eventually decided against it.

The election will take place on 4 July, after a drenched Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced it on the steps of Downing Street last night, following a day of speculation.

Farage has unsuccessfully run for Westminster on seven occasions, most recently in 2015 in South Thanet for UKIP. While he didn’t win his seat under UKIP’s banner, he won 32.4 per cent of the vote.

He narrowly lost to Craig Mackinlay, the ‘bionic MP’, who made headlines this week when he returned to Parliament after having his hands and feet amputated due to a sepsis.

Farage wrote as “honorary president of Reform UK” he backs the party and will “do my bit” to support the campaign – “but it is not the right time for me to go any further than that”.

“Important though the general election is, the contest in the United States of American on November 5 has huge global significance.

A strong America as a close ally is vital for our peace and security. I intend to help with the grassroots campaign in the USA”, he said.

The former leader also said the choice between the two main parties, Labour and the Conservatives, is “uninspiring”.

Reform UK has one MP currently, Lee Anderson, but had a disappointing local election campaign.