Diane James quit as Ukip leader after 18 days due to 'old guard' frustrations

Former Ukip leader Diane James stood down after just 18 days in charge of the party because the "old guard" made her feel like she was "banging [her] head against a brick wall".

Ms James, who has since left the party, said she became frustrated after she found she could not push through the changes she believed were necessary.

"One can obviously continue to bang your head against a brick wall, going to bed at night hoping things might change and that you might be able to make a breakthrough," she told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"But when it became clear I couldn't make that breakthrough, I felt it was the right decision for me and the credibility of the party that someone else assume the mantle."

Asked if she had found it difficult to get rid of Ukip's "old guard", she said: "Yes, that's a very good description."

Ms James also spoke about an "awkward" photograph in which she flinches away from her predecessor Nigel Farage as he tries to kiss her following her election in September.

"Nigel and I spoke just before I went on stage and he said, 'Look this is what we're going to do. The plan is I'm going to give you a greeting and there's going to be a kiss on the cheek'," she said.

"And we agreed which side the kiss was going to be. But anyway something happened... I went to him with the appointed cheek and he went the other way... That's why there was a little bit of awkwardness."

The 57-year-old also revealed she had not spoken to Mr Farage since he branded her resignation "an act of irrational selfishness".

The MEP for the South East of England said: "It was not a nice series of words to hear from someone I admire and respect... but I understand he was upset."

Following Ms James' departure, Mr Farage took over as interim leader.

Ms James also revealed false reports she had stood down as leader due to her husband's ill health had caused her anxiety.

At the time of her departure, it was reported that Ms James's husband was in poor health, but she said: "My husband was not very ill, and neither was he at death's door, and it was quite frankly irresponsible journalism.

"By concocting a story and deciding that family illness could be a factor, that story then effectively grew, developed legs and went viral, and it caused an immense amount of upset and anxiety and unhappiness."

In November MEP Paul Nuttall was elected as the new Ukip leader.