Nigel Farage rules out standing in general election
Reform UK founder and honorary president Nigel Farage has announced he will not stand in the general election.
There was speculation he would be unveiled as a candidate by Reform leader Richard Tice this morning.
He had previously said he would not make an eighth attempt to become an MP at Westminster under the current first-past-the-post electoral system.
In a statement posted on X, the GB News presenter said he would "do my bit to help" the party in the campaign.
"But now is not the right time for me to go any further than that," he added.
Reform insists it is targeting both Conservative and Labour voters, but evidence from recent by-elections suggests the Tories have the most to fear from the party, which Mr Farage led from 2019 to 2021 when it was known as the Brexit Party.
The latest opinion polls put it at around 11% of the national vote, ahead of the Liberal Democrats, and Reform says it will have enough candidates to contest every seat.
In the last general election in 2019, the party did not stand in constituencies won by Conservatives in 2017.
The party currently has one MP, Lee Anderson, who defected from the Tories in March.
Mr Farage has made it clear he plans to help his friend, Donald Trump, return to the White House in his presidential election campaign in November.
In his statement, Mr Farage said he had "thought long and hard as to whether I should stand in the upcoming general election".
"As honorary president of Reform UK, I am fully supportive of Richard Tice's leadership and urge voters to put their trust in him and Lee Anderson.
"I will do my bit to help in the campaign, but it is not the right time for me to go any further than that.
"Important though the general election is, the contest in the United States of America on November 5 has huge global significance.
"A strong America as a close ally is vital for our peace and security. I intend to help with the grassroots campaign in the USA in any way that I can.
"The choice between Labour and the Conservatives is uninspiring, and only Reform have the radical agenda that is needed to end decline in this country."
Tice 'delighted'
Reform has been particularly critical of the Conservatives on the issues of immigration and net zero.
Many Tories fear it could put a significant dent in Rishi Sunak's hopes of a return to Downing Street.
But they are likely to be relieved Mr Farage has decided against taking on a more prominent role, given his high public profile.
Responding to Mr Farage's announcement on X, Mr Tice said: "Delighted to have Nigel's help during the election campaign.
"If you want change, you must vote for Reform UK on July 4th."
Mr Tice took over as Reform's leader when Mr Farage decided to step back from frontline politics in 2021 in the aftermath of the UK's withdrawal from the European Union.
Mr Farage previously led the UK Independence Party from 2006 to 2009 and 2010 to 2016, and was Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for South East England from 1999 until the UK left the EU in 2020.
A prominent Eurosceptic from the early 1990s, when he left the Conservative Party following the signing of the Maastricht Treaty which furthered European integration, he was seen as a key figure in the decision to hold the Brexit referendum in 2016.
Mr Farage has stood for the UK Parliament unsuccessfully seven times, most recently for South Thanet in Kent in the 2015 general election.
Westminster's first-past-the-post system has repeatedly scuppered his chances, whereas the proportional representation used for the European Parliament helped him enjoy a long career as an MEP.
While working as a presenter on GB News, he took part in 2023 in the reality TV series I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, finishing in third place.
