Nigel Farage says it is 'inconceivable' for new PM to be Remain supporter

Ukip warns Conservative candidates not to 'backslide' during Brexit negotiations

(AFP/Getty)

Nigel Farage believes it is “inconceivable” for the next Prime Minister to be someone who campaigned from Britain to remain in the European Union.

The Ukip leader warned against potential “backsliding” from Conservative Party leadership candidates and argued the country needed a Leave supporter to carry out the “most urgent task” of invoking Article 50.

Mr Farage’s comments in a column for the Telegraph came as Theresa May and Michael Gove joined the race to become the next Conservative leader, before Boris Johnson announced he would not be standing.

He said: “It is inconceivable that the next Prime Minister… could be someone who only days ago was insisting we remain in.

“Those who dared to make the arguments that the United Kingdom would thrive as an independent, self-governing country are the people we should realistically view as the next Brexit Prime Minister with any credibility.

“There must be no backsliding. This was a vote to leave the big business cartel known as the single market and that must now happen.”

Mr Farage continued by emphasising the need for the new Prime Minister to have “steely determination” to get through the challenges of the Brexit process.

The outspoken campaigner also reiterated his belief in having two distinct negotiating teams which “take a cross-party dimension” which are not just made up of Conservative politicians.

He added: “We must now see a Prime Minister who will commit to bringing net migration down to tens of thousands and mean it.

“The next Prime Minister governing a country that does have control over its own borders outside of the EU will have absolutely no excuse not to deliver.”

Mr Farage delivered his first post-Brexit speech in the European Parliament on Tuesday afternoon, saying: “When I came here 17 years ago and I said that I wanted to lead a campaign to get Britain to leave the European Union, you all laughed at me – well I have to say, you’re not laughing now, are you?”

There have been widespread calls for a second referendum after Leave won by 52 per cent to 48 against Remain last Thursday.