Nigel Farage: I'm prepared to lead No campaign in EU referendum

But Ukip leader predicts the role will go to someone from 'outside normal politics' such as Sir James Dyson

Nigel Farage : The distinctly anti-EU MEP laid into the European Union president Herman Van Rompuy in 2010 saying he had "the charisma of a damp rag" and the "appearence of a low-grade bank clerk". (Getty Images)

Nigel Farage has said he is "prepared" to lead the No campaign in the EU referendum, but predicted the role would go to someone from "outside normal politics".

The Ukip leader said his role will be "important," adding that he would be "extremely active" in the campaign for a Brexit when David Cameron calls the referendum.

Making a pitch for Ukip to play a central role in the campaign, he said his party was the only eurosceptic organisation with a "big grassroots structure on the ground".

"The role of Ukip, the role of myself will be important. That's not saying that I have to take the lead," Mr Farage told LBC radio.

"I would be prepared to of course. But I suspect what we will see is somebody coming from completely outside of normal politics, somebody from the world of business or entertainment that hasn't got any political baggage at all. I think someone like that may well emerge."

He raised the prospect of a figure such as British inventor Sir James Dyson leading the campaign, echoing Ukip MP Douglas Carswell's preferred candidate for the job.

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, Mr Farage said he will go to the site for "a big dramatic re-enactment". He said he hoped schools across the UK would teach pupils about the battle and learn about how Napoleon was prevented from creating a "European empire".

"Napoleon wanted to build a European empire and it was the British and the Prussians and a few Dutch who stood there on the battlefield at Waterloo and stopped him and finished him off, thank goodness," he said.

"But it was a very bloody very costly day and it is something I hope that every schoolchild in Britain is being taught about over the next few days."