Carswell and James put up united Ukip front - but Farage snipes from the sidelines

Ukip’s top brass has publicly moved to quash discussion of a split in the party with a public display of unity at its national conference.

On the meeting’s less-well attended second day, the party’s only MP Douglas Carswell said he supported new leader Diane James “110 per cent” and congratulated her on her victory.

Mr Carswell, who was only allotted five minutes to speak on the conference agenda, was introduced on the stage by Ms James – the first time they had spoken in three months.

“He took a very courageous decision to leave the Tories and to come to us and I’m not interested in what’s gone on beforehand,” she told the audience, after brief quiet words with Mr Carswell on the stage.

But the apparent reconciliation came just hours after outgoing leader Nigel Farage told his LBC radio programme that Mr Carswell had “done all he could to split the party” and “needs to make a big decision about his future”.

Though Mr Farage no longer leads the party, he is still leader of its large group of Members of the European Parliament, and has signalled he will not step down from that post. He also commands great influence among members and has an almost Founding Father-like status.

To complicate matters further, Ms James has said she will listen to Mr Farage for advice – but says he will not be looked too as a “back seat driver”.

Speaking to reporters at the conference before he made his address, Mr Carswell said he would “absolutely not” leave.

Mr Carwell told the Ukip conference: “It takes a certain something for someone to offer themselves to lead not just a political party but the third largest political party in the UK today. I salute all the candidates who put themselves forward for the job.

“The membership has spoken and made a clear choice – we now must all rally behind Diane. Diane I give you 110 per cent of my support – well done.”

He called for electoral reform and said the Westminster political system was “rigged” against the party.

Ms James’s show of unity on the stage on Saturday appear different in tone to comments made to the press on Friday.

She told reporters that anyone who opposed her plan to abolish the party’s national executive committee “may want to seek a different party affiliation or they may seek to do something completely different in terms of career”.

Though Ms James would not name specific individuals, deputy leader Paul Nuttal has previously described the changes “wrongheaded”.

Meanwhile, Neil Hamilton, Ukip’s Welsh Assembly group leader, was deleted from the Saturday agenda at conference. Ms James said the decision was hers and that it was her prerogative as party leader to do so.

Mr Hamilton told BBC Wales that he hopes she would “finally put to bed these personal animosities and personal differences”.

Ms James is an ally of Nathan Gill, who is the leader of Ukip Wales – but not its Welsh Assembly group.

She said Mr Gill had her “100 per cent” support to remain as leader. Mr Gill said he was “relieved” Ms James had been elected. Mr Gill was handed Mr Hamilton’s original slot to speak from the stage at Ukip conference.