Nigel Farage has resigned as leader of UKIP saying he has done his bit.

At a speech in London on Monday morning, Farage said after the UK voted to leave the European Union he "couldn't possible achieve more". He told journalists gathered: "During the the referendum I said I wanted my country back ... now I want my life back."

First elected party leader in September 2006, Farage said he was leaving UKIP in a "pretty good place" and would not be changing his mind as he did when he quit after the 2015 election.

Leading the party was "tough at times" but "all worth it" he said and added: "The victory for the 'leave' side in the referendum means that my political ambition has been achieved. I came into this struggle from business because I wanted us to be a self-governing nation, not to become a career politician."

But Farage, who has been a member of the European Parliament since 2009, will still lead UKIP's ground in Brussels.

The controversial leader has had a volatile relationship with UKIP's only MP, Douglas Carswell, who has made it clear the dislike is mutual. Minutes after Farage announced his resignation Carswell, who is a Christian and regular churchgoer, tweeted a smiley face.

In questions after his speech Farage refused to support Carswell as the next leader of UKIP and simply said he wanted the best man or woman to win.

When asked about Carswell's response, Farage jibed that the Clacton MP does not often smile so it was good to see he was happy. He added he would not put much money on Carswell becoming the next UKIP leader.

But he said a new leader would be in place by the party's autumn conference.

He insisted he was not a career politician but did not rule out standing to be MP at the next election. 

Farage is credited with forcing David Cameron into holding a referendum, despite the Prime Minister's firm belief the UK was better off remaining part of the EU. Farage said he hoped there would not any "weakness or, frankly, appeasement" in the negotiations to follow and said there could not be any compromise on freedom of movement. He added the next Prime Minister must be someone who voted to leave.

"We need a prime minister who recognises that we've got the trump cards," he said.