A Lithuanian MEP and professional poker player tells Political Scrapbook he has officially applied to UKIP admissions officer to become their new leader… on a pro-European ticket.

His team insist that they’ve spent the last few days going through the UKIP constitution and have found no reason why he cannot stand.

He says he wants to represent UKIP voters who have changed their mind about voting to leave the EU.

He also said he was sympathetic to worries of Eastern Europeans impacting incomes of British workers because he once lost a lot of money to a Romanian poker player.

He joked to us:

If UKIP are going to be involved in negotiating the Brexit deal, they need Pro-European politicians and my experience is perfect.

With myself at the helm, UKIP will have an immigration expert, a negotiation expert and a bluff calling expert and unlike the previous leadership – I won’t just leave the table when I’ve got a lead.

He even tried to get Farage to sign up

.@Nigel_Farage said “Jesus” which I understand as a sign of good will for my campaign #TonyG4UKIP #MissingEUalreadyhttps://t.co/bSOx6qHrpl — Antanas Guoga (@TonyGuoga) July 7, 2016

The Lithuanian-Australian businessman is better known as ‘Tony G’ and made his name as a highly successful professional poker player, before moving to politics.

We wish him all the best