Nigel Farage will be the candidate of the anti-immigrant Reform Union party in the UK general election in July. Farage had initially announced that he would not be a candidate for parliament, AFP reported.
"I've changed my mind ... I'm going to stand," said Farage, 60. He will contest the election on July 4 in the strongly pro-Brexit town of Clacton, southeast England.
The move increases pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, whose floundering conservatives cannot afford to lose votes from the far right.
Currently, opinion polls indicate that the "Reformist Union" receives about 11% of the vote. If this result repeats itself in the run-off, it could split the right-wing vote and potentially deprive the Conservatives of key seats needed for re-election.
"I genuinely believe we can get more votes from the Conservative Party. They are on the brink of total collapse," said Eurosceptic Farage.
He promised that the Reform Party, which he founded and now leads, would also take votes from the main opposition Labor Party.
Farage, however, said he expected Labor to win the election.
"What I am really calling for and what I intend to lead is a political rebellion. Turning your back on the political status quo. Nothing in this country works anymore. We are in decline,” he added. | BGNES