Ukip leadership hopeful Steven Woolfe insists he is still in race despite missing application deadline
'Technical problems' meant the MEP was 17 minutes late submitting his paperwork
THE front-runner to replace Nigel Farage as Ukip party leader insists he is still in the race despite "technical" problems with his nomination.
A spokesman for Steven Woolfe said a situation with the Ukip system had held up the application process ahead of the Sunday noon deadline.
"Steven Woolfe remains a candidate in the Ukip leadership contest.
“He submitted his application form at 11.35am this morning, in advance of the midday deadline.
"However, due to technical problems on the party system, it did not successfully go through until 12.17pm.
"Mr Woolfe was speaking to party officials responsible for handling the application process throughout this time and right up to the deadline.
"He informed them that he was having technical problems.
“These problems were resolved and the paperwork submitted."
The comments came following claims on social media that Mr Woolfe was no longer in the race due to missing the deadline.
Mr Woolfe, the North West England MEP and Ukip’s immigration policy chief, is favourite to take over, but councillor Lisa Duffy and MEPs Bill Etheridge and Jonathan Arnott have also been pushing for the crown.
The candidate list will be announced on Tuesday after a vetting procedure is carried out by Ukip top brass.
Huntingdonshire councillor Ms Duffy has pledged to heal factional fighting in the party.
She is backed by former deputy chairwoman Suzanne Evans, who was suspended from the party earlier this year after repeated clashes with Mr Farage.
Mr Woolfe is the most high-profile contender after controversial rule changes limited who was eligible to stand.
Speaking before the application deadline, Mr Woolfe told The Sun on Sunday his party could beat Labour.
He said: “Some 17.4 million voted for Brexit.
“We now have a brilliant chance to steal the mantle of the Labour party and set a new course in politics.
“I want to link working families across the country with those in the shires who voted to leave as well.
“We’ve had the earthquake in politics.
“Now I want to go further a create an asteroid strike – something so huge that we will change the face of politics.
“They said we couldn’t get us out of the EU – so who’s to say we can’t organise an even bigger upset?”
Mr Farage announced he was quitting after the narrow Leave victory in the EU referendum, saying: "I want my life back, and it begins right now."