No leadership for Shrewsbury Ukip candidate Suzanne Evans as party rejects Nigel Farage's resignation

Ms Evans, who came third in the fight for the Shrewsbury & Atcham seat during last week's general election, was recommended for the role by Mr Farage as he stood down after failing in his own bid to become MP for Thanet South.

At the time he described Ms Evans as an "absolute tower of strength within Ukip".

Ukip chairman Steve Crowther said in a statement: "As promised Nigel Farage tendered his official resignation as leader of Ukip to the NEC. This offer was unanimously rejected by the NEC members who produced overwhelming evidence that the Ukip membership did not want Nigel to go.

"He has therefore been persuaded by the NEC to withdraw his resignation and remains leader of Ukip."

Douglas Carswell, who will be Ukip's only MP in the House of Commons, had already ruled himself out of the race to replace Mr Farage.

It comes after it emerged that Ms Evans, who lives in Frankwell in Shrewsbury, had applied to fight the election for the Tories only to be turned down. She then joined Ukip, and her stock rose after she drew up the party's manifesto ahead of the election.

Meanwhile, Owen Paterson has said he would "obviously" be prepared to serve in David Cameron's new Government – but called for the Prime Minister to be given time to push through his reforms.

Mr Paterson, who was axed as Environment Secretary by Mr Cameron during a cabinet reshuffle last summer, called on the Prime Minister to push for a new arrangement with the European Union to get a better deal for Britain, and suggested that Scotland should become responsible for raising the money it spends.

The North Shropshire MP, who was comfortably re-elected with a 16,500 majority, described the Tories' election triumph as a "real victory for Conservatism".

When pushed on whether he would wish to serve in Mr Cameron's Government on Sky News, Mr Paterson said: "That is entirely down to Mr Cameron.

"I have been re-elected here, and I'm delighted to say this part of the world is all-blue for the first time since 1970.

"Obviously I'm here to serve if required – we all want this Government to succeed. We have got rid of the ball and chain of the Lib Dems and we need to crack on.

"We have to resolve boundary reform, English votes for English laws and make the Scots feel welcome."

Meanwhile officers in riot gear clashed with a "minority" of protesters who threw objects during the rally on Saturday. Four police officers and a police staff member were injured, according to the Met Police.

A police investigation is also under way after graffiti was daubed on a war memorial.