NIGEL Farage has confirmed he will not be standing at the upcoming General Election.
The “honorary president” of Reform UK said he had “thought long and hard” about the decision but that now was “not the right time”.
He said he would fully support Richard Tice’s leadership and “urge voters to put their trust in him and Lee Anderson”.
In a statement posted on Twitter/X, Farage said: "I have thought long and hard as to whether I should stand in the upcoming General Election.
"As honorary president of Reform UK, I am fully supportive of Richard Tice's leadership and urge voters to put their trust in him and Lee Anderson (below).
"I will do my bit to help in the campaign, but it is not the right time for me to go any further than that."
Former Tory deputy chair Anderson defected to Reform UK back in March following a row in which he refused to apologise for saying London Mayor Sadiq Khan was controlled by Islamists.
Farage's statement added that he would also be focusing his efforts on the upcoming US presidential elections.
He said: "Important though the General Election is, the contest in the United States of America on November 5 has huge global significance.
"A strong America as a close ally is vital for our peace and security. I intend to help with the grassroots campaign in the USA in any way that I can."
The final part of the statement added: "The choice between Labour and the Conservatives is uninspiring, and only Reform have the radical agenda that is needed to end decline in this country."
