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Ukip members have elected Richard Braine as the party’s new leader.
In a ballot of members, the chairman of the party’s West London branch received 53 per cent of the vote, a spokesman for the party confirmed.
He took more than double the voted of his closest rival.
Freddy Vachha was second with 20 per cent, followed by Ben Walker on 14% and former deputy leader Mike Hookem on 13%.
Mr Braine was the favoured candidate of former leader Gerard Batten, who stood down after the party was wiped out in May’s European elections, haemorrhaging support to Nigel Farage’s new Brexit Party.
Mr Batten threw his support behind Mr Braine after being barred from standing again by Ukip’s national executive committee.
His leadership had become embroiled in controversy after taking on English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson as an adviser.
Additional reporting by PA.
