UKIP leader Paul Nuttall has reigned as leader of the party with immediate effect in the wake of the General Election results.

The party failed to win any seats across the country, and had racked up more than £30,000 in lost deposits for candidates who failed to gain 5% of the vote.

Speaking at a press conference, Mr Nuttall said: “It is clear that UKIP requires a new focus, new ideas and a new energy - and it is there amongst out ranks.

“I think, regardless of the score last night, I have laid the foundations for the future in this General Election campaign but it will be for someone else to build on those.”

Mr Nuttall stood as the party’s candidate in the Lincolnshire constituency of Boston and Skegness, but failed to win the seat securing on 3,308 votes.

The party had held the seat in Clacton since 2014 with Douglas Carswell, before Mr Carswell quit the party in April this year.

He remained as an independent but opted not to stand again in this year’s general Election.

That seat was won by Conservative Giles Watling.

Asked about a future role for former leader Nigel Farage, Mr Nuttall told the conference: “If Nigel Farage wants to come back, I would be more than happy to do a job swap. I’ll take his slot on LBC and he can come back as leader of UKIP.”