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Nigel Farage today risked a backlash after claiming that Labour’s recent success in London is only down to support from a wave of new immigrants.

The Ukip leader said migration from overseas meant it would be difficult for any party to beat Labour in the capital’s inner boroughs. But he claimed that Ukip would steal Labour voters disillusioned with Jeremy Corbyn and hit Tory support in outer boroughs.

Mr Farage was to tell the Ukip conference in Doncaster today that his efforts will now focus on securing an “out” vote in the referendum on Britain’s EU membership.

Deputy leader Paul Nuttall dismissed concern that Mr Farage was too divisive to be the figurehead of Ukip’s referendum campaign.

Read more Ukip supporter shows off her Nigel Farage tattoo at party conference

He told BBC radio: “We’ve got a window of opportunity for Ukip and we will either jump through that window or we won’t.” The party will also announce its candidate for London mayor tomorrow.

Looking at his party’s challenge in the capital, Mr Farage said: “The fact is that the inner ring of London is very difficult for anybody but Labour. It’s the only part of England in which the Labour vote continues to rise.

"The Labour vote falls everywhere but rises in central London. The reason for that is a lot of newcomers with new passports vote Labour.”

Asked why he thought some Labour voters would turn away from Mr Corbyn’s Labour, he said: “Wanting to give away the Falklands, abolish the Army, unilateral nuclear disarmament, wanting to get rid of the Queen — all that stuff will turn them off.”

He said outer London was “potentially very good Ukip territory” as the party had come second in five seats there at the general election in May.

The Ukip mayoral selection has been dogged by rumours of a struggle between Mr Farage and Ukip Deputy Chairman Suzanne Evans, who wanted the job.