vote to leave the European Union, on July 4 stepped down as leader of
the UK Independence Party (UKIP).
“I have decided to stand aside
as leader of UKIP,” he told a London press conference. “The victory for
the ‘Leave’ side in the referendum means that my political ambition has
been achieved.”
The 52-year-old said that whoever succeeded David Cameron
as prime minister should be a long-time Brexit campaigner and vowed to
scrutinise negotiations over Britain’s departure from the EU.
“I
will watch the renegotiation process in Brussels like a hawk and
perhaps comment in the European Parliament from time to time,” he said.
“Whilst we will now leave the European Union the terms of our withdrawal are unclear,” he added.
“If
there is too much backsliding by the government and with the Labour
party detached from many of its voters, then UKIP’s best days may be yet
to come”.
He
also offered his services to “other independence movements springing up
in other parts of the European Union,” adding he was “certain that you
haven’t seen the last country that wants to leave the EU.”
Farage
has quit as party leader twice before, firstly in 2009 over party
infighting and again in 2015 after failing to become an MP, but on both
occasions decided to stay.
He insisted Monday that “I won’t be changing my mind again, I promise you”.