Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage rules out eighth attempt to become an MP

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage appearing on The Andrew Marr Show. Photograph: Jeff Overs/PA/BBC. - Credit: PA

Nigel Farage has ruled out an eighth attempt to become a member of parliament, as he rejected calls to stand in the general election.

The Brexit Party leader said he believes he can better serve the cause by “traversing the length and breadth” of the UK campaigning, instead of fighting to get elected in one constituency.

Asked if he was going to stand in the forthcoming election, Farage told the Andrew Marr Show on BBC One: “I’ve thought very hard about this – how do I serve the cause of Brexit best, because that’s what I’m doing this for.

“Not for a career, I don’t want to be in politics for the rest of my life.

“Do I find a seat to try get myself into parliament or do I serve the cause better traversing the length and breadth of the United Kingdom supporting 600 candidates, and I’ve decided the latter course is the right one.”

He added: “It’s very difficult to do both. It’s very difficult to be in a constituency every day and at the same time be out across the United Kingdom.”

Asked about the Brexit Party fielding candidates in around 600 seats, Farage said: “I’ve wanted for months for there to be a Leave alliance. It seems obvious to me that no one party can own Brexit voters – there are Tory Brexit voters, there are Brexit Party Brexit voters and a lot of Labour Brexit voters.

“I always thought that to win an election, get a big majority so we can get a proper Brexit, a coming-together would be the objective.

“I still hope and pray it happens but it doesn’t look like it will.”

He went on to say that prime minister Boris Johnson’s current Brexit plan is not “genuine”.

“If Boris is determined to stick to this new EU treaty, then that is not Brexit,” he said.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the decision was a “bit weird”.

He said: “It’s obviously his decision. It’s a bit weird to lead a political party that is apparently contesting all or most of the seats up in the election and he himself is not offering himself for election. He’s obviously very comfortable on his MEP’s salary.”