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| Nigel Farage Says He’ll Step Down as Head of U.K. Independence Party | Nigel Farage Says He’ll Step Down as Head of U.K. Independence Party |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| LONDON — Nigel Farage, the man credited by many with pressing the British government into holding a referendum on the European Union, announced on Monday that he was standing down as leader of the populist, right-wing U.K. Independence Party. | LONDON — Nigel Farage, the man credited by many with pressing the British government into holding a referendum on the European Union, announced on Monday that he was standing down as leader of the populist, right-wing U.K. Independence Party. |
| Mr. Farage, 52, said that he had “done my bit,” achieved his central ambition and left his party in a “pretty good place” in the wake of Britain’s vote on June 23 to quit the 28-nation bloc. | Mr. Farage, 52, said that he had “done my bit,” achieved his central ambition and left his party in a “pretty good place” in the wake of Britain’s vote on June 23 to quit the 28-nation bloc. |
| “I have never been, and I have never wanted to be, a career politician,” he said. “My aim of being in politics was to get Britain out of the European Union.” | “I have never been, and I have never wanted to be, a career politician,” he said. “My aim of being in politics was to get Britain out of the European Union.” |
| Monday was not the first time Mr. Farage said he would quit the party leadership: He made a similar promise after the 2015 general election — when he failed to win a seat in the British Parliament — only to change his mind. | Monday was not the first time Mr. Farage said he would quit the party leadership: He made a similar promise after the 2015 general election — when he failed to win a seat in the British Parliament — only to change his mind. |
| As a member of the U.K. Independence Party, Mr. Farage has campaigned for more than 15 years to leave the European Union, increasingly highlighting the issue of immigration. | As a member of the U.K. Independence Party, Mr. Farage has campaigned for more than 15 years to leave the European Union, increasingly highlighting the issue of immigration. |
| His success alarmed lawmakers of the Conservative Party of Prime Minister David Cameron, who, under pressure, promised in 2013 to call an in-or-out referendum. After the Conservatives’ surprising victory in last year’s general election, Mr. Cameron was compelled to make good on that promise. | His success alarmed lawmakers of the Conservative Party of Prime Minister David Cameron, who, under pressure, promised in 2013 to call an in-or-out referendum. After the Conservatives’ surprising victory in last year’s general election, Mr. Cameron was compelled to make good on that promise. |
| Mr. Farage remains a member of the European Parliament, to which he was first elected in 1999. Last Tuesday, after the referendum, Mr. Farage taunted fellow lawmakers in Brussels. | Mr. Farage remains a member of the European Parliament, to which he was first elected in 1999. Last Tuesday, after the referendum, Mr. Farage taunted fellow lawmakers in Brussels. |
| “When I came here 17 years ago and said I wanted to lead a campaign to get Britain to leave the European Union, you all laughed at me,” he said to jeers and groans. “Well, you’re not laughing now.” | “When I came here 17 years ago and said I wanted to lead a campaign to get Britain to leave the European Union, you all laughed at me,” he said to jeers and groans. “Well, you’re not laughing now.” |
| His colleagues in the European Parliament were not sorry to see him go. “#NigelFarage is the latest coward to abandon the chaos he is responsible for,” Manfred Weber, a German member of the European Parliament who has denounced Mr. Farage as a demagogue, wrote on Twitter. “This shows that he has no credibility at all.” | His colleagues in the European Parliament were not sorry to see him go. “#NigelFarage is the latest coward to abandon the chaos he is responsible for,” Manfred Weber, a German member of the European Parliament who has denounced Mr. Farage as a demagogue, wrote on Twitter. “This shows that he has no credibility at all.” |
| Mr. Farage had clashed with Douglas Carswell, the only member of his party to win in a seat in the British Parliament in elections last year. Mr. Carswell reacted to Mr. Farage’s announcement on Monday by posting a smiley face emoji on Twitter. | Mr. Farage had clashed with Douglas Carswell, the only member of his party to win in a seat in the British Parliament in elections last year. Mr. Carswell reacted to Mr. Farage’s announcement on Monday by posting a smiley face emoji on Twitter. |
| Also on Monday, two of the five candidates to lead the Conservative Party — and by extension, to succeed Prime Minister David Cameron, who has announced his intention to step down by October — presented their case to the party’s lawmakers and supporters. | Also on Monday, two of the five candidates to lead the Conservative Party — and by extension, to succeed Prime Minister David Cameron, who has announced his intention to step down by October — presented their case to the party’s lawmakers and supporters. |
| One of the two candidates, Andrea Leadsom, a minister for energy and climate change who has a background in finance, focused on her support for the “Leave” campaign. | One of the two candidates, Andrea Leadsom, a minister for energy and climate change who has a background in finance, focused on her support for the “Leave” campaign. |
| “The nations and peoples of Europe remain our close friends, our staunch allies and our key trading partners,” Ms. Leadsom said. “I believe, however, that our vote to leave the E.U. will be a positive wake-up call for those European elites who have been far too complacent about youth unemployment that is wrecking lives in southern Europe; about declining share of world trade that threatens Europe’s progress; and about the failure of the Brussels machine to respond to globalization.” | “The nations and peoples of Europe remain our close friends, our staunch allies and our key trading partners,” Ms. Leadsom said. “I believe, however, that our vote to leave the E.U. will be a positive wake-up call for those European elites who have been far too complacent about youth unemployment that is wrecking lives in southern Europe; about declining share of world trade that threatens Europe’s progress; and about the failure of the Brussels machine to respond to globalization.” |
| Another candidate, Liam Fox, a former defense secretary, said that Britain should complete its departure from the European Union by 2019. | Another candidate, Liam Fox, a former defense secretary, said that Britain should complete its departure from the European Union by 2019. |
| Mr. Cameron has refused to activate the legal mechanism for Britain’s departure from the bloc, leaving the decision on how and when to do so to his successor. | Mr. Cameron has refused to activate the legal mechanism for Britain’s departure from the bloc, leaving the decision on how and when to do so to his successor. |
| Once the mechanism, known as Article 50, is invoked, Britain will have two years to complete negotiations on the terms and conditions of its withdrawal with the other members of the European Union. | Once the mechanism, known as Article 50, is invoked, Britain will have two years to complete negotiations on the terms and conditions of its withdrawal with the other members of the European Union. |
| Both Ms. Leadsom and Mr. Fox have tried on Monday to address growing concerns about the status of European Union citizens who now live in Britain. | Both Ms. Leadsom and Mr. Fox have tried on Monday to address growing concerns about the status of European Union citizens who now live in Britain. |
| Ms. Leadsom said, “there is no way they will be bargaining chips in our negotiations,” while Mr. Fox said they should have “full rights to remain,” even as future migration is curtailed. | |
| The other candidates for the party’s leadership are Theresa May, the home secretary; Michael Gove, the justice secretary; and Stephen Crabb, the work and pensions secretary. A series of votes will begin on Tuesday, leading to the selection of two finalists, between whom the party’s roughly 150,000 members will choose. | The other candidates for the party’s leadership are Theresa May, the home secretary; Michael Gove, the justice secretary; and Stephen Crabb, the work and pensions secretary. A series of votes will begin on Tuesday, leading to the selection of two finalists, between whom the party’s roughly 150,000 members will choose. |