Newark by-election: Nigel Farage says result shows "people's army is on the march"

UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the result of the Newark by-election proved the "people's army is on the march" despite losing out to the Conservative Party.

The party's candidate Roger Helmer polled 10,028 votes, 7,403 behind winner Robert Jenrick. But Farage said the significant reduction of the Tories' majority proved that momentum was with UKIP.

Mr Farage said: "You guys (the media) want to think it's a protest vote but actually they vote for us because they believe in what we stand for.

"We have fought a damn good election. UKIP is about far more than Nigel Farage. We proved that in our campaign, where we have a good candidate.

"The lead the Conservatives had over us four years ago was around 25,000 so we will be delighted with tonight's result.

"This by-election would have been a non-event two years ago, the media wouldn't have covered it, but that's all changed thanks to UKIP.

"The people's army is on the march."

Speaking exclusively to the Advertiser, Mr Farage added that the result was a "massive achievement" for UKIP.

He said: "To come here and reduce the Tories' lead over us from 25,000 to 2,500 is a massive achievement.

"We couldn't mobilise all our troops until after the local council and European Elections. Had we been able to campaign as much in the first two weeks of the by-election then we may well have won."

When the Advertiser said that the Conservative Party was also contesting those elections, Farage said: "Yes but they had conceded the European Elections.

"I think anything is possible for UKIP in this constituency in the next General Election."