Nigel Farage's allies say he could return to frontline politics and form Ukip 2.0 if current Ukip leader Henry Bolton is sacked

Nigel Farage is in talks about a return to frontline politics if scandal-hit Henry Bolton is ousted as Ukip leader over his relationship with a 25-year-old glamour model.

Mr Bolton, 54, faces a crunch meeting today to decide his future in the wake of The Mail on Sunday’s revelations last week that his lover, Jo Marney, had sent racist messages about Meghan Markle.

Mr Farage’s allies believe that if Bolton is forced out, it will trigger the collapse of the party – leaving a gap for ‘Ukip 2.0’.

It comes as this newspaper can also disclose that Farage’s former mistress was part of a plot to try to force Mr Bolton to resign over the racist texts scandal. After our report appeared, Annabelle Fuller – whose secret 12-year relationship with married Mr Farage ended in 2016 – leaked other online messages from Ms Marney in which she joked about the sexual abuse of babies.

Ms Marney was suspended from the party for sending messages saying that Prince Harry’s fiancee would ‘taint’ the Royals with her ‘seed’ and pave the way for a ‘black king’. In response, Mr Bolton claimed to have ended the ‘romantic’ side of the relationship – only to then be spotted enjoying a dinner with Ms Marney.

If Mr Bolton goes, the party will have to find its fifth leader in 18 months. It is heavily in debt and would struggle to afford the contest.

The new party would be chaired by former Ukip donor Arron Banks, while Mr Farage could become president. Its main policy would be to keep up pressure for a ‘hard Brexit’.

Henry Bolton faces a crunch meeting and could be sacked by Ukip this week because of his relationship with controversial 25-year-old model Jo Marney

Mr Farage, who stood down in 2016, met Mr Banks ten days ago to discuss plans. A source said: ‘If the project is to succeed, Nigel has to be involved.’

Mr Bolton announced earlier this month that he had left his wife Tatiana, 42, with whom he has two children, for Ms Marney, whom he met shortly before Christmas.

A source close to Mr Farage said: ‘Nigel has always said that he would return if Brexit appeared to be under threat.’

When asked about the new party plans if Ukip collapses, a spokesman for Mr Farage said: ‘No comment’.

Last night Ms Fuller – who played no role in this newspaper’s story about the Meghan texts – said she had helped a friend to release the child-abuse messages.