Brexit campaigner and MEP Nigel Farage has announced he is stepping down as leader of UKIP.

“I have never been and I have never wanted to be a career politician,” he said in a speech on Monday morning.

“I couldn’t possibly achieve more than we managed to achieve in the referendum. So I think it’s right that I should stand aside as leader of UKIP.”

Nigel Farage's statement on quitting (again) - "Ukip's best days may be yet to come" pic.twitter.com/eW2jnUK7Qj — Sebastian Payne (@SebastianEPayne) July 4, 2016

Thank you @Nigel_Farage. Onwards and upwards. — UKIP Scotland (@UKIP_Scotland) July 4, 2016

Now that, as he sees it, he has his country back, Farage said he is ready to get “his life back.”

Farage, who returned to the leadership almost immediately after resigning from his post in the wake of a disappointing UKIP result at the 2015 general election, has ruled out the possibility of changing his mind once more.

Thank you to all my supporters in @UKIP and beyond. Delighted with the result we fought for so long to achieve. #BrexitBritain — Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) July 4, 2016

With questionable sincerity, Farage joked it is a “terribly good idea” for Douglas Carswell, UKIP’s only MP and a fierce critic of the incumbent, to become the next UKIP leader.

😎 — Douglas Carswell MP (@DouglasCarswell) July 4, 2016

Carswell, who during the referendum campaign attacked Farage for the “indefensible” posters depicting a mass of immigrants queuing to get into Britain under the heading “Breaking Point,” reacted to the news by tweeting a smiling emoji wearing sunglasses. Acknowledging that reaction, Farage said, "I'm pleased that he is smiling because that's not something I have seen very often from him."

He refrained from backing any particular candidate for the Conservative Party leadership, but said he or she must be a Brexit supporter. Frontrunner Home Secretary Theresa May backed the Remain campaign, while Andrea Leadsom and Michael Gove are pro-Brexit.

Nigel Farage says "I want my life back". So do we all, Mr Farage, so do we all. — GeorgeMonbiot (@GeorgeMonbiot) July 4, 2016

Meanwhile, more than 60,000 people have signed a petition for Farage - who will remain an MEP in the European Parliament for the next two years - to be involved in negotiations for Britain to leave the European Union.