Divisions in the party were exposed late on Friday afternoon after it emerged that its assembly leader, Neil Hamilton, had been dropped from the agenda.
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Mr Arnott had been a candidate in the contest to replace Nigel Farage, but pulled out after deciding he had little chance of winning.
A south east MEP and former Rochester schoolgirl is the frontrunner and bookies’ favourite going into today’s Ukip leadership announcement.
“Diane has a lot of positives, in particular her ability to portray policies in a positive way which will appeal beyond UKIP’s core demographic”. But he refused to say if he would dissolve his party, born as a single issue campaign, after Britain quits the EU.
James, a former analyst with a board-level career in the healthcare sector, said she would ensure the government delivers a Brexit deal that meets the main demands of UKIP voters: more free trade and tighter immigration controls.
Educated at Rochester Girls Grammar School and Thames Valley University, she is a keen dancer who also lists antiques among her interests and speaks French and German.
She has promised to bring a new style of leadership to UKIP – harnessing the ability of members – but doubters fear the party will suffer after its rise in popularity was so closely linked to the personality of Mr Farage. She works as the chief of staff to MEP Patrick O’Flynn, who called Mr. Farage “snarling, thin-skinned and aggressive”.
She defeated four other candidates in a ballot of party members.
“At midnight it seemed an amazingly good idea to me to go for a swim, so I did!”
“And I’m very, very grateful and I appreciate all of the other countries now looking to Britain and hoping to emulate what we have done here in their own countries”.
“We discussed my personal decision weeks ago and he was reassured that I, better than most, know UKIP’s ideology inside out as well as being a veteran in dealing with political media and that this should not affect my ability to work for him”. My job is not to try and influence but my job will be if that leader wants any help and advice then, make no mistake about it, I am still four-square behind this party and its aims.
“I think Nigel eventually just threw his hands up and went ‘Well, what’s the point?'”. “I think, folks, I’ve done my bit”.
She added: “The European Union referendum and the outcome meant that Britain, or the United Kingdom, however you want to style it, is embarking on a new era and that is the same for our party – the United Kingdom Independence Party”.
Mr Farage received a standing ovation from the crowd, many of whom waved Union Flags and placards emblazoned with pictures of his face, as he left the stage played out to David Bowie’s Heroes.
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She said “We are the political changing movement, we can’t take our eye off the 2017 general election and Brexit”. Labour certainly has its problems but it has 230 MPs compared to the one held by UKIP.
