UKIP leader who promised to leave Westminster “quaking” replaced after 3 months

UKIP has appointed its seventh leader since Nigel Farage stood down in 2016 today.

Freddy Vachha – who was appointed just three months ago – has been replaced by former Tory MP Neil Hamilton, who is also the last remaining UKIP member in the Welsh parliament.

The former leader had promised to leave Westminster quaking when he was appointed, declaring UKIP “back in business”.

But he lasted just three months in the job, and has been replaced by Hamilton today.

In 1996 it was reported Hamilton had taken money in brown envelopes from Mohamed Al Fayed in a “cash-for-questions” scandal. His libel suit against the Guardian collapsed, leading to his resignation from government.

In the 1997 general election he lost his Tatton seat to journalist Martin Bell. He left the Tory party in 2002 and joined UKIP.

Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.