Diane James: Who is Ukip's first female leader?

The first female leader of Ukip Diane James is a grammar-school-educated former healthcare sector worker who made her political name in defeat.

The 56-year-old MEP and former parliamentary candidate switched to the party nine years ago after falling out with her local Conservative party.

She most recently served as party spokeswoman for justice and home affairs - though she is arguably more famous for speaking out about her admiration for Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Her previous biggest political success came as she narrowly missed out on victory in a fierce by-election battle with the Liberal Democrats for the Hampshire seat of Eastleigh in 2013.

Nigel Farage hailed Diane James after her second-placed finish in the 2013 Eastleigh by-election. Credit: PA

James was heralded by the party leadership for winning swathes of support from traditional Tory voters as she improved the party's vote by 24.2%.

Three years on she vowed to make Ukip more "professional" as the Bedford-born politician, who gained a degree at Thames Valley University, threw her hat in the ring to replace Nigel Farage.

"I want the next leader to make it so we can win seats locally and in Westminster #WinningisKey," she tweeted.

Her campaign for leadership was significantly bolstered by Ukip immigration spokesman Steven Woolfe's barring from the race for filing his entry papers 17 minutes late.

Diane James celebrates after being named as the new leader of Ukip at the party's conference in Bournemouth. Credit: PA

It meant Woolfe's main backers - most notably powerful party donor Arron Banks - switched support to Ms James in the five-candidate race in the expection she will attempt to reform the structure of the party.

"There’s going to be no place in Ukip under my leadership for those who have sought or seek to destabilise, destroy or even obstruct what a new constitution will outline for the new governance of this party," she has declared.

That promise is expected to be severely tested as Ms James inherits a tough brief leading divided factions circled round the party's leading figures, including former Conservative MPs Douglas Carswell and Neil Hamilton.

The notable recent defections of Ukip's executive director and a press aide to the Tories underscore the independence party's long-term battle for an identity after Britain's exit from the European Union.

Diane James became one of Ukip's four MEPs for South East England. Credit: PA

James has vowed to hold the Government to account throughout the Brexit process while seeing through her mission to "professionalise" the party.

The new leader is regarded as a strong media performer - though she faced empty-chair jibes for refusing to appear at televised discussions with her rival candidates - and a confident speech maker.

Like Farage, she has found herself in hot water for comments surrounding immigration, once being forced to apologise for portraying Romanians as criminals during the Eastleigh campaign.

Diane James generated headlines after declaring her admiration for Vladimir Putin.

She later clarified her comments were not intended to be a “generalisation against every single individual born with a Romanian passport”.

Her controversial admiration for Putin emerged in a radio interview last year.

"I admire him from the point of view that he’s standing up for his country," she told LBC's Iain Dale. "He’s very nationalist. I do admire him. He is a very strong leader."