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Ukip's Nigel Farage to contest South Thanet seat in election

Ukip leader Nigel Farage was tonight selected by local party officials as their candidate to stand in the South Thanet seat in next year's General Election.

Branch members formally chose Mr Farage ahead of three other shortlisted candidates as Ukip's prospective parliamentary candidate for the Kent seat.

Mr Farage ended months of speculation earlier this month by saying he had "thrown my hat in the ring" and will vie to be the Kent seat's prospective MP at the 2015 contest.

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Farage says he is not complacent after hustings win

Nigel Farage told Good Morning Britain there is "not one ounce of complacency from me" after he was selected to stand in the South Thanet seat for Ukip at next year's general election.

"I'm not pretending for one moment that it's going to be easy, but Ukip is offering something different and distinctive," Farage said.

Asked if he would stand down as leader if the party fails to win a single seat at the election, Farage reiterated his comments from last night.

"If we'd failed in the European elections I would have stood down, if we fail next year the party will pick someone better than me, but do you know what? That ain't going to happen," he said.

Nigel Farage selected to stand for Parliament

UKIP leader Nigel Farage also moved a step closer to Parliament tonight, when he was formally chosen as the party's candidate for South Thanet at the general election.

Staking his position in the party on the line, he told supporters, UKIP would win seats next year or he will have failed as leader, and would quit.

ITV News Political Correspondent Carl Dinnen Reports:

More: Nigel Farage wants to be 'worst nightmare' of Cameron and Miliband

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Labour says 'Ukip doesn't share Britain's values'

The Labour Party has said that Ukip "doesn't share" Britain's values, as Nigel Farage has been announced as his party's choice to stand for Parliament in South Thanet, Kent.

Ukip don't share Britain's values. Whoever's name they put on the ballot paper, the truth about Nigel Farage and his party is that they would go even further than the Tories, with policies which would be bad for hardworking people. A vote for them is a vote for higher taxes for working families, huge giveaways for the rich, scrapping rights at work and charges to see your GP."

– Labour Party Spokesman.

More: Nigel Farage wants to be 'worst nightmare' of Parliament

Nigel Farage wants to be 'worst nightmare' of Parliament

Nigel Farage speaks to Ukip party members in South Thanet. Credit: ITV News

After accepting the Ukip local party officials nomination as candidate to stand in the South Thanet seat in next year's general election, Nigel Farage told the audience:

We can't for one moment afford to be complacent because we swept the board in 2013 and we swept the board here in 2014.

We did and that was magnificent. But don't think that the heavy artillery from the Conservative and Labour parties will not be fired on this constituency.

They will, they will, they will try very, very hard. They don't want Ukip breaking through into Parliament and they most certainly do not want me breaking through into Parliament.

Somebody said I'm David Cameron's worst nightmare. Well, that's not good enough. I want to be Ed Miliband's worst nightmare, too."

– Nigel Farage

Following his speech, Mr Farage smiled broadly as he walked past branch members to applause and chants of "Nigel, Nigel, Nigel".

More: UKIP selects Nigel Farage to contest South Thanet seat

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Nigel Farage 'looking forward' to South Thanet hustings

Nigel Farage has tweeted that he is "looking forward" to tonight's hustings in South Thanet, where he hopes to be selected as a UK Independence Party candidate for next year's General Election.

Earlier this month, Mr Farage confirmed he had thrown his "hat in the ring" to stand for the South Thanet seat at next year's General Election but insisted, "I'm no shoo-in".

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