Raheem Kassam, Nigel Farage’s former chief of staff, has withdrawn from the race to be Ukip leader, leaving just Paul Nuttall and Suzanne Evans in the running.
The rightwing journalist had been the most colourful contender in the field, expressing admiration for the US presidential candidate Donald Trump and gaining the backing of the major Ukip donor Arron Banks.
Despite causing controversy over offensive comments on Nicola Sturgeon and Evans, he became the second favourite to win behind Nuttall.
However, he suspended his bid yesterday after holding meetings with supporters over the weekend, saying he had concluded that the “path to victory is too narrow”.
Kassam claimed he was not confident in the integrity of the ballot and criticised his treatment by the media, after a journalist approached his parents at their home.
He also accused some Ukip members of the European Parliament of using party databases to “effectively campaign against me - ostensibly against the rules”.
He added: “I wish the UK Independence Party and whoever its new leader is all the best in ensuring Brexit happens, and in the upcoming electoral tests next year. I remain committed to the causes of the UK Independence Party, but sadly, at this campaign, it was a bridge too far for us.”
He also acknowledged he had not raised enough funds to hold meetings around the country to connect with grassroots Ukip members, meaning he would only have been able to run a digital campaign from Westminster.
Kassam will return to his job as the editor-in-chief of Breitbart London, travelling to the US this week to cover the last leg of the presidential elections.
His withdrawal cements the position of Nuttall, the former deputy leader of Ukip, as the favourite to win.
Ukip’s only MP, Douglas Carswell, appeared to welcome the news that Kassam had quit the race, tweeting an emoji depicting a smiley face wearing sunglasses shortly after the announcement.