Former Ukip leader Gerard Batten, who stood down at the start of this month, has decided to stand again due to "overwhelming support".
Mr Batten quit as leader on June 2 after Ukip was wiped out at the European elections by its former leader Nigel Farage's new Eurosceptic group, the Brexit Party.
He tweeted today: "Because of overwhelming support from UKIP members I have decided to stand in the Leadership contest.
"My platform will include: * National Democracy * Economic Democracy * Political Democracy * Freedom of Speech * No backtracking or surrender to political correctness."
Mr Batten was the party’s sixth leader in just under three years, and a new leader will be the seventh if he is not re-elected.
He was in the post since April 14, 2018 when he was elected unopposed following the resignation of former leader Henry Bolton.
But after haemorrhaging support, he announced he was standing down after 15 months, tweeting: "My term as UKIP Leader ends today.
"A big thank you to all who have supported my leadership... the NEC will now begin a leadership election process, which will see the next leader elected within the next 90 days."
Mr Batten will battle it out with senior Ukip members including former parliamentary candidate Ben Walker, former Ukip deputy leader Mike Hookem and Gareth Bennet, a member for the National Assembly for Wales.
Nigel Farage quit Ukip after 25 years after he disagreed with the direction the party was taking under Mr Batten’s leadership, especially after far-right campaigner Tommy Robinson was appointed as an advisor.
Ukip deputy leader Mr Hookem quit his role last month and announced he will run for party leader.
He said he could no longer support the direction of the party under Mr Batten's leadership.
He added: "Mr Batten's policy direction and associations have given the mainstream media the ammunition to label our party 'extreme' and 'far-right', accusations I do not believe to be true."
The proposed date for the results to be declared is August 10.
