Diane James is the new leader of Ukip after winning the race to succeed Nigel Farage.
The MEP for South East England was unveiled as the party’s new leader this afternoon at its annual conference in Bournemouth.
James beat local councillor Lisa Duffy and fellow MEP Bill Etheridge.
Results of the UKIP leadership election:
Diane James MEP: 8,451
Councillor Lisa Duffy: 4,591
Bill Etheridge MEP: 2,052
Philip Broughton: 1,544
Elizabeth Jones: 1,203
Farage announced he was standing down as party leader after helping secure a Brexit vote in June’s EU referendum, claiming: “I want my life back.”
James is Ukip’s first female leader in its 23 year history, and takes over as the party faces an existential crisis.
In her victory speech, James said she was “not Nigel-like or even Nigel-lite” as she tried to distance herself from the former leader.
She claimed Ukip was on its way to becoming the “official opposition” and branded Prime Minister Theresa May as “Magpie May” for adopting the party’s flagship policies over defence spending and grammar schools.
Earlier today, outgoing Deputy Leader Paul Nuttall said he was worred for the future of Ukip – which despite achieving its main policy of Brexit is riddled by divisions.