MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK Independence Party has new leader, Paul Nuttall: third choice in three months

Nuttall defeated former deputy chairwoman Suzanne Evans and ex-soldier John Rees-Evans. It was UKIP's second leadership election this year

Paul Nuttall has been elected leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party, replacing Nigel Farage. The 39-year-old Member of the European Parliament, who served as UKIP's deputy leader for six years, won 62.6% of support among party members He promised to “put the great back into Britain” and force the government to “give us a real Brexit”.

 Mr Nuttall defeated former deputy chairwoman Suzanne Evans and ex-soldier John Rees-Evans. It was UKIP's second leadership election this year, previous winner Diane James having quit after 18 days in the role. Mr Farage acted as interim leader while the second leadership race took place.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Nuttall, a former history lecturer who played football for Tranmere Rovers as a boy, said: “The country needs a strong UKIP more than ever before. If UKIP is to be an electoral force, there will be an impetus on Theresa May and her government to give us a real Brexit.”

He added: “I want to replace the Labour Party and make UKIP the patriotic voice of working people.”

Appearing on BBC Two's Daily Politics, Mr Nuttall said the party would be “speaking the language of ordinary working people... we're going to move into the areas the Labour Party has neglected”, dismissing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell and Diane Abbott as part of “a North London Islington set”.

He said: “We will be focusing on the issues that really matter to working-class people on doorsteps - immigration, crime, defense, foreign aid, ensuring that British people are put to the top of the queue in the job market.”

Ms Evans said Mr Nuttall had her “full support”, saying she was glad he won such a decisive victory because it gave him a “huge mandate” to unite the party.

Mr Nuttall, who was born in Bootle, Merseyside and was UKIP deputy leader from 2010 until September this year, attracted 9,622 votes. Ms Evans came second with 2,973 votes (19.3%) and Mr Rees-Evans third with 2,775 votes (18.1%). There were 32,757 ballot papers sent out, with 15,405 votes cast.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: “Now on their third leader in as many months, UKIP are too divided, distracted and incompetent to offer any serious solutions for the people of Britain.

”After a leadership contest, which the winner himself has described as 'completely shambolic', we've seen brawls and squabbling - but nothing about the issues facing ordinary working people.“

Labour MP Dan Jarvis said the party could not be ”remotely complacent“ about the threat posed by UKIP and had to listen to voter concerns about issues like immigration. He called for the party to appoint a frontbencher to deal specifically with the issue.

But shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said this was not necessary, telling BBC Radio 4's The World at One Mr Jarvis ”clearly has not been talking to many people in Europe” if he thought changes could be made to EU free movement rules while being involved with the single market.