Diane James has quit as leader of UKIP after just 18 days in the job, throwing the party into chaos.
James, who was elected just over two weeks ago, has quit as the result of personal problems. The party itself has yet to confirm the departure, with senior figures within the Ukip set-up left in the dark about what her surprise departure means for them.
Nigel Farage, her predecessor, is highly unlikely to make a return, but his former deputy, Paul Nuttall, and Steven Woolfe, who was blocked from standing last time, are tipped to run. One thing that is certain is that Farage will resist any attempt to take control of the party by the Douglas Carswell faction, which includes Suzanne Evans and Lisa Duffy, a defeated candidate in the last UKIP leadership race.
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