UKIP leader resigns after 'disastrous' UK poll result

The leader of a right-wing political party in the UK that had Brexit at the heart of its manifesto announced on Friday that he would be resigning following the party's plummeting support in the June 8 General Election.

Paul Nuttall said the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), which for years had been the main proponent of the country leaving the EU, had been a victim of its own success, Efe news reported.

After UKIP failed to gain a single seat in Westminster, and with Nuttall coming third in Boston and Skegness, he opted to leave his position, saying: "A new era must begin with a new leader."

UKIP lost its only seat in Parliament in Thursday's General Election and saw support for it drop to 1.8 per cent -- compared to the 12.6 per cent in the 2015 election.

Nuttall said UKIP would remain "the guard dogs of Brexit" but conceded that the party had failed badly. "If I am remembered as the UKIP leader who kept the party on the pitch for the good times that lay ahead, that will be good enough for me," he said.

"In politics sometimes the tide goes in and sometimes the tide goes out. But for us, although the tide might be out at the moment, I am convinced we will return," he said.

Asked about a future role for former leader Nigel Farage, Nuttall said: "If Nigel Farage wants to come back, I would be more than happy to do a job swap. I'll take his slot on LBC and he can come back as leader of UKIP."

Earlier, Farage said he did not blame Nuttall for the party's poor showing.

--IANS

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