Nigel Farage has confirmed he will stand in European elections for the Brexit Party.
It comes after Theresa May wrote to European Commission President Donald Tusk requesting an extension on the UK’s exit from the EU – until June 30.
In her letter she said that the UK had begun making preparations to hold the poll - although the government would prefer not to.
She told Donald Tusk: "it is in the interests of neither the United Kingdom of as a departing Member State, nor the European Union as a whole, that the United Kingdom holds elections to the the European Parliament."
But the Prime Minister said that it accepts that if the UK is still in the EU on 23 May 2019, "it would be under a legal obligation to hold the elections".
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The vote would then be expected to take place on May 23.
Mr Farage quit Ukip in December blaming the current leader's growing links with the far right.
Gerard Batten faced a backlash after he appointed far right extremist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, as an advisor.
Mr Farage, a leading figure in the 2016 referendum set up the new Brexit party in February, claiming 100,000 people signed up in the first few days.
Today he told Sky News: “I will be leading the Brexit Party in those European elections as it now looks certain they will happen.
“Am I happy about it? No, I’m not actually.”
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He added: “I thought we had won the Brexit battle but I’m not going to after 25 years of endeavour watch British politicians roll us over. This is the fightback and I tell you what, they’re going to be surprised by what they get.”
