Nigel Farage has refused to rule out making a bid to become Tory leader in the future.
The former Ukip boss said “never say never” after being asked whether he would consider running to be prime minister by his camp mates on I’m A Celebrity.
He said: “I don’t know, we’ll see. It depends how much mess the country gets in.
″I honestly don’t know. I mean it’s not an easy job.”
Speculation has been mounting about Farage’s political plans after he appeared at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester and was even filmed singing with former cabinet minister Priti Patel.
Speaking later in the jungle telegraph, he said: “As for little me, there’s a lot of speculation that after they lose the next election ’Oh, you know, maybe Nigel becomes the leader of the Tory Party one day’.
“So there’s a lot of chatter about it. Whether it’s going to happen, I’ve no idea. The important thing, though, is to say this: never say never.”
Former cabinet minister Simon Clarke added to the rumours last night when he said he would welcome Farage into the Tory Party.
He told ITV’s Peston show: “I would absolutely like to see Nigel Farage welcomed into the Conservative Party.”
Asked if he could be a future leader, Clarke said: “I think that might be a stretch, but equally do I think that Nigel could be doing better things than eating four types of penis, maybe yes.”
Farage would need to clear a number of hurdles if he did want to become Tory leader, however.
He would first need to be accepted into the party, something many Tory moderates would be opposed to.
He would then need to be chosen to stand as an MP and become elected - something he has failed to do on seven previous occasions.
And even after that, Farage would then need to run for the leadership and, ultimately, be elected by party members.