Mrs. James told the BBC interviewer that her political idols were Vladimir Putin, Margaret Thatcher, and Winston Churchill.
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While prime minister Theresa May campaigned for Remain, she has insisted that “Brexit means Brexit” since entering Downing Street.
Nigel Farage on Friday said UKIP had “changed the course of British history” with Brexit as he handed over leadership of the eurosceptic party, which faces an uncertain future without its charismatic chief.
Members of the anti-EU party, which is credited with forcing former PM David Cameron to call June’s referendum on European Union membership, backed James with 8,451 votes out of 17,931 cast – well ahead of the four other, mostly unknown candidates.
“I’m sure that if you talked to David Cameron, former leader of the Conservative Party, he might not say very charitable things about me”.
James also set down a marker for May, calling for a tough immigration system that allowed entry only to those “with the skills and the expertise and the social values that this country wants”.
Speaking this morning, Mrs. James said: “My vision… is global, is positive, is outward looking, is enterprise building, and is going to make this country great again”.
Volunteers on the party’s ruling National Executive Committee had decided that Mr Hamilton was “great fun, therefore would be a great candidate”, Mr Farage said, adding that he had no power to stop it. Hitting the areas in which her party has traditionally performed well and outmanoeuvred the mainstream parties, she said: “Certainly the issue of migration and immigration”.
A relaxed Banks replied: “Well, Nigel actually said to me “let’s go for a paddle”, I said “come on, man up, let’s just go for a swim – strip down”. But you will always get honesty from me.
“I’m not interested in what has gone on beforehand”, she told party members. I lead a group in the European Parliament, so I will go on with my helpful contributions over there.
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“Diane James is a Putin fan so I expect UKIP’s next major campaign to feature her riding a horse topless”, comedian and broadcaster Tiernan Douieb tweeted.
