Ex-Clacton MP Douglas Carswell has hinted about standing against Nigel Farage in the upcoming Clacton by-election.
Mr Carswell, who represented Clacton in the House of Commons as both a Tory and Ukip MP, admitted he was hopeful of his chances if he stood in the seat.
The prominent Brexiteer said: “Perhaps I should stand in the Clacton by election?
“Be amusing and think I might actually win. Again.”
Mr Carswell, who relocated to Mississippi after leaving Parliament, was considered a rival to Mr Farage despite defecting to Ukip in 2014.
The pair ended up campaigning for different pro-Brexit groups in 2016, with Mr Carswell supporting Vote Leave and Mr Farage becoming a figurehead for Leave.EU.
They found themselves again at loggerheads in 2017 when leaked emails appeared to suggest Mr Carswell mocked the suggestion Mr Farage should receive a knighthood.
Mr Carswell won his Clacton seat in a by-election held in 2014, later retaining the seat as Ukip’s sole MP at the 2015 General Election.
Despite Mr Farage previously accusing Mr Carswell of being a “fifth columnist” and a “Tory posh boy”, Mr Carswell last night appeared to defend Reform UK amid its ongoing financial scandal.
The 55-year-old, who also argued the onslaught was “orchestrated”, said: “It’s a deep state operation.”
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Labour and Conservatives showing 'contempt' for electorate, says Nigel Farage
Reform UK's leader Nigel Farage has said the move from Labour and the Conservatives to not stand in the upcoming Clacton by-election is "showing contempt for the electorate".
Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: "The fact Labour and the Conservatives don't want to stand, they're both showing contempt for the electorate. They can use whatever terms they want – it's a real election with real people."
Mr Farage reaffirmed his move to resign as Clacton MP, saying the "daily media pile-on" over his finances, left him "in a position of paralysis", warning it could of "gone on for months" if he did not take action.
He continued, saying the judgement from the Standards Committee will be "completely subjective".
Conservatives will only run in Clacton by-election once Nigel Farage's donation probe concludes
Helen Whately MP, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary said the Conservatives will only run in a by-election in Clacton once the investigation into Nigel Farage's finances has concluded.
Calling the up-coming by-election "a stunt", Ms Whatley said: "There could be a real by-election in Clacton in the Autumn, when the results of the investigation into Nigel Farage come forward, so that would be the moment to challenge him, not now when he's trying to dodge the questions into his donations."
Speaking to GB News, she added: "This is a stunt by Nigel Farage. He doesn't want to answer questions. He's dodging the questions. He just wants to be in the limelight."
Andy Burnham vows to rebuild UK's 'hard power' with billions to British defence firms
Prime Minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham has vowed to rebuild the UK's "hard power" by allocating billions of extra defence spending to British firms.
Mr Burnham, in his first foreign policy intervention, wants to steer defence procurement away from European and American companies and boost homegrown firms.
He said he wanted to "level with" the public about the amount of money required to meet the UK's promise to Nato to spend 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2035.
The additional money, Mr Burnham has said, will be ploughed into "regenerating and reindustrialising the country", with efforts to boost British jobs and workers.
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Andy Burnham on course for premiership as no contenders come forward
Andy Burnham is on course for becoming the next Prime Minister as nominations open up for Labour leadership today.
Former armed forces minister Al Carns flirted with the idea of contending Mr Burnham, but ruled himself out of the contest last night.
Mr Carns said: "I’d hoped a leadership contest would give us the opportunity for a proper debate.
"But months of internal Labour politics isn’t what the country needs right now. We’ve got to get on with the job.
"Andy Burnham’s earned this and he’s got my full backing."