New UKIP leader as Nigel Farage bid farewell

Summary

Diane James is elected UKIP leader, beating four other candidates
In her acceptance speech, she says UKIP can become real opposition to Tories
Nigel Farage tells UKIP activists he has given the party "all of me"
Owen Smith warns of "five days" left to save Labour
George Osborne says he will stay in politics to fight for his values

Live Reporting

Jackie Storer and Emma Griffiths

Former Nigel Farage aide defects from UKIP to Conservativespublished at 10:23 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Ross Hawkins
Political correspondent
Media caption,
Alex Phillips, who was UKIP’s head of press, explains why she is now a Conservative member.
A former aide of Nigel Farage has defected to the Conservatives, as UKIP prepares to announce its new leader.
Alex Phillips, who was UKIP's head of media for two years, said she was impressed by PM Theresa May.
The government was putting in place UKIP policies on grammar schools and Brexit, she said.
Ms Phillips said her former party was in a "catastrophic mess" and riven by irreparable schisms and divisions.
Mr Farage has said the party needs to "professionalise and change" but still has a vital role to play in the post-Brexit political landscape.
Read more
The candidates vying to succeed Nigel Farage as UKIP leaderpublished at 10:09 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Image source, BBC/Getty
As we just alluded to, the new UKIP leader will be announced later at the party's annual conference in Bournemouth.
Five contenders stood for election after Nigel Farage resigned in July, saying the UK's Brexit vote meant his political ambition had been achieved.
A ballot of party members closed on Thursday and the result will be announced at 13:30 BST on Friday.
The candidates are MEPs Diane James and Bill Etheridge, councillor Lisa Duffy and Liz Jones and Phillip Broughton.
Read more
George Osborne to stay and fight for Northern Powerhouse projectpublished at 10:08 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Image source, Reuters
George Osborne has said he will stay in the House of Commons to "fight for the things I care about" as he launched a think tank to promote the Northern Powerhouse.
Mr Osborne, who was sacked as chancellor by Theresa May, told the BBC: "I don't want to write my memoirs because I don't know how the story ends."
In a wide-ranging and revealing interview on Radio 4's Today, he said there had been a "bit of a wobble" by Mrs May over the Northern Powerhouse project and also put some distance between himself and the PM over grammar schools.
No 10 says Mrs May is building on his plan to create a northern economy to rival London and the South East.
Read more
Welcome - New UKIP leader as Farage bows outpublished at 10:04 British Summer Time 16 September 2016
Image caption,
Nigel Farage
Good morning and welcome to Friday's politics live page. Today we hear from Nigel Farage for the last time as UKIP leader - before his successor is crowned. A ballot of party members closed on Thursday and the result will be announced at 13:30 BST at the party's conference in Bournemouth. Stay with us for rolling coverage leading up to the result.
In the meantime, Conservative former chancellor George Osborne says he will stay in the Commons to promote the Northern Powerhouse, among other causes - and Labour MP Owen Smith prepares to give his final key-note address before ballots close on Wednesday for the party's leadership election.