Former UKIP leader Gerard Batten, who stood down at the start of this month, has decided to stand again due to "overwhelming support".
He was in the post since April 14, 2018 when he was elected unopposed following the resignation of former leader Henry Bolton. He only agreed to take on the job as leader for 12 months but was asked to stay a bit longer by UKIP's N.E.C. because of the Council and European elections. Mr Batten quit as leader on June 2.
He announced his decision to stand in the upcoming leadership contest on Twitter.
When Gerard Batten inherited UKIP in April 2018, the party was on its knees. Stripped of a reason to exist by the U.K.’s vote to leave the EU, it was rapidly haemorrhaging members and heading toward bankruptcy. Only an emergency request for donations, after Batten became leader, saved it from going under.
When Batten took over the party it had less than 18,000 members, membership is now thought to be approaching 30,000 according to senior UKIP officials.
In March 2018, UKIP was polling 1 percent in an ICM/Guardian poll. Under Batten's leadership the party climbed to 7 percent in a poll in September.
UKIP have been overshadowed recently by the high profile Brexit Party who took most of UKIP's votes in the European elections.
Mr Batten will battle it out with senior UKIP members including former parliamentary candidate Ben Walker, former UKIP deputy leader Mike Hookem and Gareth Bennet, a member of the National Assembly for Wales.
The result will be announced on August 10th.
