EAST Midlands MEP Derek Clark is to stand down before the next European election in 2014.
The UKIP MEP was first elected in 2004 and re-elected in 2009.
The former teacher, who lives in Northampton, will have served for ten years as UKIP MEP for the East Midlands.
He said: "It has been an honour and a privilege to work for the people of the East Midlands these past ten years – I am not seeking re-election but I will continue to work as one of your MEPs over this last year, as indeed, you would expect me to.
"It's the the right time now to take a step back – UKIP has achieved so much over these past few years and we are now in a very strong position.
"Our performance at the recent county council elections – particularly in Lincolnshire – has been staggering – and the party in the East Midlands and beyond is in very good shape."
Mr Clark was confident of the party's performance in the European elections next year and urged people to vote UKIP.
He said: "UKIP politicians are not career politicians' – we didn't climb the greasy pole. We are real people who work in real jobs and we're free of the party dogma of the others."
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