Campbell Bannerman pledges loyalty to UKIP's Farage
David Campbell Bannerman was already deputy leader when he threw his hat into the ring to take over the leadership of the UK Independence Party.
That was seen as an attack on Nigel Farage's style of leadership, which is very different to what Mr Campbell Bannerman envisages. In his opinion the party needs to become more serious.
Despite its crises including expenses scandals, the plane crash from which Nigel Farage miraculously escaped and former leader Lord Pearson's acknowledgement that he was not very good at policy, UKIP has slowly become established in Europe and has a growing number of local councillors.
David Campbell Bannerman says UKIP could be the largest UK party in the European Parliament in 2014
The next leader will determine whether the party really can make a difference but after a bitter leadership battle it is not to be Mr Campbell Bannerman.
He told us:"Nigel was always favourite to win and I will be loyal to him and back him 100%. It is obviously disappointing personally but I live to fight another day.
"I think I have won some of the battles in terms of the need to have a strategy and plan ahead and professionalise the party to capitalise on our opportunities.
"If we get AV plus, we could get 20 MPs under the top up system and around 30 elected peers."
In terms of his future, Mr Campbell Bannerman is meeting Mr Farage next week in Brussels and he has heard that he will be part of the senior management team.
Even if he had won, he says that he had intended to retain Nigel as the face of the party and the person who'd do all the media. Mr Bannerman sees his own strengths in shaping future policy and manifestos.
He added:"I am told I am the brains of party whereas Nigel is the face of the party. I have a lot of time for Nigel. He is very honest and courageous and a brilliant orator. We work very well together."
He will soon learn if Mr Farage agrees.
Meanwhile, UKIP will be fielding a candidate in the forthcoming by election, following the Phil Woolas case in Oldham and the party is getting ready to fight elections in , Scotland and in, which is somewhere they will be fighting for the first time.
Welcome to the political blog for the East. I'm Deborah McGurran, the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Political Editor for the region. From Lowestoft to Luton, this is the place for politics with an eastern twist.
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