UKIP leadership election: Bill Etheridge looking forward to 'spicy' contest as rival misses deadline

Steven Woolfe, the hot favourite to succeed Nigel Farage, said a computer glitch meant his application did not successfully go through until 17 minutes after the 12pm deadline on Sunday.

And last night, Woolfe admitted failing to declare a drink-driving conviction when he stood for a police and crime commissioner post.

The MEP, who has been the front-runner in the race to succeed Nigel Farage as party leader, said he "forgot about the conviction" when he stood in the Greater Manchester PCC election in 2012, in a possible breach of electoral law.

PCC candidates must declare convictions for which they could have received a prison sentence, and it is a criminal offence to make a false statement on nomination papers, the Electoral Commission website says.

The party's National Executive Committee (NEC) was due to decide today whether his candidacy would be accepted.

West Midlands MEP Mr Etheridge, who is also a Dudley councillor, said: "I am happy to debate with anyone and have the utmost respect for Steven.

"The decision on whether he is accepted as an official candidate is entirely down to the party. Regardless of whether or not he is on the ballot, I am happy to take on all comers and look forward to a very spicy leadership contest."

Mr Woolfe, a North East MEP, said he had been on the phone with a UKIP official four minutes before the deadline 'pressing the button' to submit the application and sent photographs to prove it.

"I did feel like I was in a scene from Little Britain's 'computer say no'," he said.

Asked if he would pursue legal action if his application was rejected, he replied: "I hope it wouldn't come to that.

"Hopefully they recognise that everybody in the country now sometimes looks at their computer screens and screams at it when something is not working but we have a system in place that didn't seem to work properly that day."

Prior to the nomination controversy Mr Woolfe faced allegations that he allowed his membership to lapse in 2014, which raised issues about his eligibility under controversial new party rules. He described the accusation as 'false'.

Mr Etheridge, who said he successfully submitted his application three weeks ago, entered the leadership race last month after current deputy leader Paul Nuttall announced his decision not to stand.

He said he was determined to stop the party from becoming 'too left wing' and has launched a manifesto calling for a referendum on the death penalty and radical prison reforms.

Mr Etheridge says he stands for 'a small state, low tax party which allowed businesses to thrive and people to work their way out of dependence on hand outs'.

The leadership contest started when Mr Farage announced he was quitting in the wake of the EU referendum.

The other candidates in the race are Councillor Lisa Duffy, MEP Jonathan Arnott and former NEC member Liz Jones.