Mr Farage announced his intention to stand down as Ukip leader following the EU referendum, citing a desire to spend more time with his family and to get his life back. MEP Diane James is one of five candidates hoping to succeed Mr Farage, with the winner to be announced on September 15 at the party conference in Bournemouth. But Ms James has suggested she could deploy the party’s “big beast” as the debate over Britain’s exit from Brussels goes on. She told Murnaghan on Sky News: “Nigel has stood down, he's given his reasons. I don't intend being either Nigel-like or Nigel-lite, I've made that abundantly clear. "Nigel has a role still to play in the future of Ukip.

GETTY Nigel Farage could be lured back to the Ukip frontlines Diane James has said

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"I'm hoping when I have the opportunity to discuss with him, and I want to have that discussion in the next few days, that we'll be able to realise what sort of contribution he can make to the party in the coming months and certainly year, if not further into the future. "But he's the one person that really puts the fear of God, and I don't mean to blaspheme for any moment, into some of the other politicians. "The fact is that, for instance, the Lib Dems have had to go back to Nick Clegg to actually fight their aspect in terms of EU membership – and Nigel really, really did carpet Nick Clegg in those debates. "So if we're going to put big beasts up, I'm more than happy to deploy Nigel as long as he's willing to do so." Mr Clegg and Mr Farage went head-to-head in two debates in 2014 over Britain’s future in Europe – with the eurosceptic being declared the clear winner in both clashes.

GETTY Mr Farage resigned days after the Brexit vote on June 23

So if we're going to put big beasts up, I'm more than happy to deploy Nigel Diane James