Nigel Farage insists he has future plans for Suzanne Evans

Peace appears to have broken out across Ukip, albeit after Nigel Farage has stamped down on those who criticised him. Suzanne Evans is the latest casualty of the Ukip wars, with her job as Head of Policy coming to an end. While Mark Reckless is rumoured to have been offered the role, Evans is stepping aside gracefully:

‘It has been a great privilege to work with UKIP for the past four months to produce the 2015 General Election manifesto. I was delighted with the way it was received, especially by party members and supporters. While my contract for that work comes to an end next week, I remain in my voluntary post as Deputy Chairman’

On the Today programme this morning, Farage suggested that Evans will not be out in the cold for long and hinted he has plans to ensure she stands in an election sometime soon:

‘She came in a few months ago to put together the manifesto, which is a job she did very successfully and her contract runs out next week. I have other plans for what Suzanne Evans can do for Ukip. I think she is potentially a great electoral asset for us.’

Evans was one of the senior Ukip figures hoping to become the next leader and it is likely she still harbours ambitions for that role. Farage refused to be drawn into speculation on his successor, ‘that would be ridiculous of me to say who should be the next leader, that would do them no favours at all.’ But he did suggest there will be a change in tone from Ukip — focusing more on the EU and less on immigration. He also said the recent was the result of people letting off steam after the election:

‘There is no question she is a very able woman, no doubt about that. Anyone who watched our manifesto launch would realize that. What has happened in Ukip is that since the election, after the pressure cooker atmosphere of a campaign office, one or two regrettable things were said and done by a very small number of people. But I’ll tell you where this leaves Ukip, unlike the other parties: united. 100% united.’

Farage might be right that everyone in the party is united behind fighting the EU referendum but whether they are ‘100% united’ behind him remain to be seen.