I am a fighter insists Nigel Farage as he defends not standing in by-election #CarryGobySeanKellz #FutureGroupNG via @myentertain9jar

NIGEL Farage fended off criticism yesterday after deciding not to run for Parliament in the seat vacated by disgraced former Tory MP Patrick Mercer.

Nigel Farage said he had no links to safe Tory area[STEVE REIGATE ]

The Ukip leader had said he would consider standing in the Newark, Nottinghamshire, by-election to become his party’s first MP after Mr Mercer quit in a cash-for-questions scandal.

But yesterday Mr Farage said he had no ties with the area and risked appearing opportunistic. He said he did not want to distract from Ukip’s bid to win this month’s European elections – and he had his eyes on the “much bigger prize” of winning many Westminster seats.

Tory defence minister Anna Soubry tweeted that Mr Farage “is not stupid – he knows he’d lose and runs frit from Newark!” The insult “frit” – Lincolnshire dialect word for “frightened” – was used by Margaret Thatcher to describe Labour’s Denis Healey in 1983.

There is a much bigger prize than Newark, including the general election when we can win not one seat but many seats

Nigel Farage

Mr Farage initially appeared to agree that he had not accepted the challenge of standing in a safe Tory seat but later denied making such an admission. He said: “I can be accused of many things but I do not think ‘frit’ is one of them. I’m a fighter but you have to pick your battles in life.”

He promised to field a strong local candidate and “throw the kitchen sink” at the Newark contest, likely to be soon after the May 22 local and European elections.

“But there is a much bigger prize than Newark, including the general election when we can win not one seat but many seats, even holding the balance of power.”

MEP Mr Farage is thought likely to stand in Kent next year.