Kilroy-Silk says he will stand as MP

Robert Kilroy-Silk, the UK Independence Party MEP, declared yesterday that he would contest a Westminster seat at the next general election. He said his party had funds to fight any marginal contest it chose.

The former television presenter said he had been pledged "as much as I need" by various sources to fight seats up and down the country on a platform not just geared to his party's policy of withdrawal from the European Union.

"That money is in place and it's open ended," he declared.

Immigration, asylum, defence, homeland security, health and a host of other issues would all be campaign areas, said Mr Kilroy-Silk.

But speaking at a Westminster lunch he declined to say which seat he would fight at the next election or how many marginals his party would contest. "We are going to change the face of British politics forever, and I promise you we will not let the British people down," he told reporters.

Mr Kilroy-Silk said he had his eye on a seat in his East Midlands European constituency, but added it might not be the most winnable.