NIGEL Farage WILL stand in the General Election after becoming the shock new leader of Reform UK today.
The Brexiteer pledged to lead a "political revolt" as he made a dramatic return to frontline politics and vowed to "get more votes than the Tories".
It will be the eighth time Farage, 60, has stood at an election although he has never been successful in becoming an MP.
At a press conference in Central London today, he declared "I'm back" - adding his return is a sign of the "rejection of the political class".
The Brexit frontman previously claimed that he did not have enough time to put together a full campaign in six weeks, after being caught on the hop by Rishi Sunak’s snap election announcement.
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The Brexit campaigner will stand in Clacton-on-Sea, in Essex - a seat currently held by the Tories.
Businessman Richard Tice announced Farage would also be named the new leader of Reform UK, marking his return leading a party for the first time in almost five years.
He said at a campaign event in Central London this afternoon: "I've changed my mind... it's not always a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength.
"I will stand in the Essex seaside town of Clacton. I will launch my campaign at midday tomorrow.
"I've talked to Richard, and he's happy about it.
"I regret to say we're getting on quite well.
"Richard is happy for me to put my head over the parapet.
"We all know already the Conservative Party will be in opposition, but they won't be the opposition.
"They are split down the middle on policy and frankly they don't stand for a damn thing.
"Our aim in this election is to get millions of votes... many more millions of votes than UKIP did.
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"I'm not just back for the General Election, I am back for the next five years.
"We are unashamedly patriotic... We've done it before, we'll do it again. I'll surprise everybody".
He added he would stand up to "the birth of sectarian politics" and lead a "political revolt".
Farage also announced a five-year plan for Reform to become the biggest party in the country by the next election in 2029.
He declared: "I believe we can get more votes than the Conservative Party. They are on the verge of total collapse."
Asked why he'd made such a massive U-turn on standing, Farage said: "I can't let those people down.
"The amount of guilt I felt yesterday, just thinking about it... I promise you, something is happening out there.
"It's better to fight something that is very, very difficult, where the outcome is far from certain than let people down.
"I wanted the UK to be independent... and we achieved it."
He went on: "I've been in this game for 30 years. I've changed my mind and I'm not ashamed of it one little bit."
The announcement came after Farage teased an "emergency" speech today at 4pm this morning.
Farage rebranded The Brexit Party as Reform in January 2021, when it switched from a single-issue pressure group to a right-wing party rivalling the Conservatives.
Now-former Reform leader Richard Tice said: "Sunak thought he'd got one ahead of us.
"I asked Nigel to be the leader of Reform UK, and to my delight, he accepted."
Farage said: “Thus far, it is the dullest, most boring election campaign we have ever seen in our lives.
"And it's funny because the more the two big party leaders try to be different, the more they actually sound the same.”
The campaigner has previously said he "doesn't know" what a good result is for Reform next month and repeatedly refused to name a target number for seats, despite standing over 600 candidates around the UK.
But his decision to stand is a big U-turn from his stance when he was quizzed on The Sun's Never Mind The Ballots politics show last week.
Farage told Political Editor Harry Cole: "I had a plan. I was going to launch (my campaign)... I had a venue booked.
"It's very difficult to win without data and it's even harder to win when you're Nigel Farage because the other side will cheat.
"I needed a really good run at this and six weeks wasn't enough.
"I thought, rather than being stuck in a constituency, why not travel round the country and actually, not just support Reform candidates, but actually get a proper debate going."
Asked whether he agreed "you've got to be on the pitch to make actual change", Farage insisted: "I've heard that argument for 25 years.
"But I think I've been rather successful, haven't I?"
Critics of Farage had claimed he was dodging standing as an MP to better support pal and ex-President Donald Trump in November's US election.
The Sun can reveal Farage has just one campaign event in America supporting the Republican candidate between now and July 4.
Farage intends to jet in and out of Detroit within hours to come straight back to the UK for campaigning, it is understood.
The campaigner has stood for election as an MP seven times - in five general elections and two by-elections - losing each by significant margins.
His most recent bid to enter the House of Commons was in 2015 when he stood for UKIP in South Thanet, in Kent, where he lost to the Tories despite scooping 16,000 votes.
Last week Mr Farage even suggested a pact with the Tories, telling our show that Rishi Sunak should “make me an offer”.
But the suggestion was shot down by party leader Richard Tice, who called Farage's comments "banter".
In 2019 Farage led his Brexit Party - the forebear of Reform - in standing down candidates in 317 seats held by Tory MPs so it did not split the vote and help Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party.
This time Reform has categorically said no deals with the Conservatives will be done.
Mr Farage was a longtime member of the European Parliament representing South-East England for UKIP, and later the Brexit Party.
