Diane James has admitted Ukip's greatest challenge is emerging from the shadow of Nigel Farage

We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again.

The MEP denied Ukip was politically defunct after Britain voted to leave the EU, robbing the party of its central campaigning issue.

James, 56, the party’s deputy chairman and the frontrunner to be next leader, said: “My biggest test will be to take the party out of Nigel’s shadow and into the future.

“Ukip still has a job to do. We need to ensure that Theresa May triggers Article 50 as soon as possible to send a clear message to Brussels that we are serious about Brexit.”