Nigel Farage is ‘considering running to be Mayor of London’

The former Ukip leader has run for parliament on seven occasions - and lost each time

Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage (Sky)

Nigel Farage is considering running to be the Mayor of London in 2020, it has been reported.

The former Ukip leader lives in south London and has claimed that he had been encouraged to run.

Mr Farage, who has run for parliament on seven occasions and lost each time, has reportedly said he is “thinking” about running and would use the platform to “make arguments”.

“I have been encouraged to [stand] by a group of people, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to. I haven’t said no to it, I’m thinking about it,” Mr Farage said, according to the Financial Times.

“The Tory party are very actively aware that if I did stand, they would probably come third, and they are afraid of that,” he added.

The election is set to take place in 2020 and the current mayor, Sadiq Khan, is currently seen as the favourite.

The Tories are currently selecting their candidate for the race with big name Conservatives opting not to put their hats in the ring.

Mr Farage, who serves as an MEP, has been vocal with his criticism of Mr Khan, especially during Donald Trump’s visit to the UK.

He previously said Mr Khan should “spend a bit less time slagging off Donald Trump and a bit more time getting to grips with crime”.

A Ukip spokesperson told The Independent they were “unaware that Mr Farage was considering running for Mayor of London.”

"There will be an open selection and Nigel is welcome to apply to be the candidate," the spokesperson said.