Ukip leader Nigel Farage says he may stand for election again in South Thanet - just weeks after he was defeated by the Conservative Craig Mackinlay.

That defeat was thought to have ended the party leader’s Parliamentary ambitions.

However, he has confounded those who believed he would not make an unprecedented eighth attempt to get to Westminster.

The party endured a turbulent post-election period, during which his own position as leader came under threat.

Addressing a south east party conference on Saturday, he said he was disappointed not to get to the finishing line in first place in South Thanet.

He told the KM Group that while a decision was a long way off, he has not ruled out the prospect of standing again.

Asked whether he wanted a “rematch” in South Thanet, he said: “I am not the sort of chap to give up easily.

"It is a long way off and we have to get the referendum out of the way but I certainly would not rule it out.”

If the South Thanet Ukip association urged him to be a candidate, he said he would “assess the mood” before deciding whether to throw his hat in the ring.

“Who knows? You never predict the future and now would be a really stupid time to make predictions.”

He also said he intended to be a “regular fixture” in Thanet to help the party as it got to grips with running its first council.

“It is quite pivotal. Everyone is going to be watching Thanet. If the general impression two years down the road is that we have done a good job in Thanet and on Kent County Council, we have led a constructive opposition, then come the next council elections, we could do very well indeed.”

He also suggested he would be prepared to take on the role of leading the Better Off Out group in the forthcoming referendum, saying it mattered who was chosen because of the prospect of a series of live debates.

“I feel I am a candidate. It matters in one regard. At some point, there will be a live head-to-head TV debate with Cameron. I earned my spurs last year when I did two live one hour debates with Nick Clegg but I am not saying it has to be me.”

He downplayed a series of internal party rows in the aftermath of the election, saying: “We’ve had a few hiccups and people have said a few silly things - that happens after elections.”