UKIP: Ex-Conservative minister Neil Hamilton elected party leader

Former Conservative minister Neil Hamilton has been elected leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP).

He has been interim leader since September 2020, replacing Freddy Vachha who was suspended from the party.

Mr Hamilton represented UKIP in the Welsh Parliament for five years before losing his seat in the 2021 elections.

Before joining the party in 2011, he was a Conservative MP for Tatton and minister in the John Major government from 1992-94.

However, he lost his seat in 1997 following accusations he accepted money in exchange for asking questions in Parliament.

Mr Hamilton takes over at a difficult time for the UKIP. The pro-Brexit party was successful in its long-running campaign for the UK to leave the EU, but has since struggled in elections.

In 2019, its former leader Nigel Farage split from UKIP and set up the Brexit Party - now called Reform UK - taking many of its former members and supporters with him.

Since Mr Farage stepped down as leader in 2016, the party has had seven leaders including Henry Bolton and Diane James.

In a message to supporters earlier this year, Mr Hamilton acknowledged that recent election results had been "disappointing" but added "we must remember that UKIP is on a road to recovery and, after years of mismanagement, this process will not happen overnight."

"Now is the time to regroup, learn lessons and make the necessary preparations for future elections - we must ensure that UKIP is the patriotic, common sense alternative for working people."