Bill Etheridge is the first to pull out of the the UKIP leadership race, endorsing his friend Paul Nuttall:

“I always said that if a candidate better suited to take this party forward emerged I would back down and support them. That candidate has emerged.

“Paul Nuttall is not only a personal friend and an honourable man but I believe he is the only person who can effectively unite our party after the recent well publicised problems we have suffered.

“I will be supporting Paul and giving him my 100% backing. I call on all other potential candidates to follow my example and withdraw from the race to allow Paul to go forward from here and unite our party.”

Would Suzanne or Raheem pull out if Nuttall made them a deal?