Ukip's only MP Douglas Carswell has urged party leader Nigel Farage to "take a break" amid a deepening row over his future.
Douglas Carswell dismissed suggestions he wants the top job and insisted he "admired" Mr Farage in an article for The Times today.
But he argued the party should not take "big decisions" about the leadership in the immediate aftermath of a tough election battle.
Mr Farage quit as leader after failing to be elected in South Thanet last Thursday, before the party's ruling council dramatically rejected his resignation.
In his article, Mr Carswell wrote: "On Monday, Ukip's national executive committee made a decision to reinstate Nigel as party leader. Yet even leaders need to take a break. Nigel needs to take a break now.
"Elections are enormously stressful. The immediate aftermath of one is not the time to take big decisions about the future."
The intervention from Mr Carswell came after Mr Farage issued a challenge for the "one person" in Ukip covertly "agitating" for his removal to put up or shut up.
Mr Farage said: "There is one person within Ukip agitating for a change and for a leadership election. He hasn't had the courage to break cover, but he must make his mind up. Is his future with Ukip or not?"
In the background of the row over party leadership, Ukip is involved in a stand-off with Mr Carswell, who is resisting pressure from the party to claim £650,000 a year of taxpayers' money to fund up to 15 additional members of staff.
The MP has insisted he will not claim the full amount but denied rumours that he was set to quit Ukip - a move which would block the party from claiming the money.
Additional reporting PA.
