UKIP's Gerard Batten reveals resignation date – and it's days after EU elections

UKIP’s leader has finally revealed the date he will resign.

Gerard Batten will stand down on June 2 and trigger a leadership contest to replace him, a UKIP spokesman said.

It means Mr Batten – who provoked a party storm by backing far-right extremist Tommy Robinson – will be stepping down just 10 days after the EU elections on May 23.

A leadership election is expected around a month after he steps down. Mr Batten has not yet decided if he will stand, a spokesman said.

Currently Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, cannot stand because despite being an advisor to Mr Batten he is still banned from UKIP membership.

It means Mr Batten has formally broken his vow to stand down after one year.

Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, cannot stand because despite being an advisor to Mr Batten he is still banned from UKIP membership
(Image: MirrorPix)

The right-winger stood in as interim leader when Henry Bolton was ousted in February 2018 and was later elected unopposed in April 2018.

When he was elected, he said: “I intend to resign on 13th April 2019 so that a full leadership contest may take place.”

But the date came and went amid Brexit chaos to allow him to lead the party through local elections.

A UKIP spokesman confirmed June 2 was now the correct date.

The spokesman said: “Mr Batten is fulfilling a promise to step down and call a leadership election approximately one year after becoming full Party Leader.”

Nigel Farage – who spent years making migrant-baiting comments – claims UKIP has been “taken over” by the far right
(Image: PA)

UKIP won 11 MEPs in the last elections in 2014, but is now expected to receive a hammering from former boss Nigel Farage’s new Brexit Party.

The party lost more than half the 67 council seats it defended in last week’s local elections, being left with just 31.

By contrast the Green Party won 265 council seats, a rise of 185.

A string of UKIP figures have attacked Mr Batten or left the party altogether over his support for Tommy Robinson.

Mr Batten has also stood by UKIP candidate Carl Benjamin despite the Youtuber saying he “wouldn’t even rape” Labour MP Jess Phillips – later adding vilely: “With enough pressure I might cave.”

But he survived a no confidence vote in December at the hands of UKIP’s ruling NEC.

Mr Farage said UKIP had allowed “the far right to join it and take it over and I’m afraid the brand is now tarnished.”

UKIP responded by pointing out their former leader’s long history of remarks about migrants.