Ukip is to delay publishing its manifesto for as long as possible , party leader Nigel Farage revealed today . The party ’ s detailed pitch to voters had been expected to be set out at its spring conference in Margate this weekend . But Mr Farage today insisted he wants to release it as ‘ late as practicably possible ’ in the election campaign , which would give voters less time to challenge the party on its contents . Scroll down for video . Ukip leader Nigel Farage today insisted he wants to release his manifesto as ‘ late as practicably possible ’ in the election campaign . Mr Farage has previously been forced to disown the party ’ s entire 2010 manifesto as ‘ drivel ’ which he claimed he did not read , despite writing its foreword . It included pledges to improve Britain by painting trains in traditional colours , deploying soldiers on the street and enforcing a dress code for taxi drivers and theatregoers . Since then , the party has enjoyed a surge in support , topping the polls in the European Parliament elections and securing two elected MPs who defected from the Tories . As a result , Ukip has faced closer scrutiny of its policies , with splits emerging over key areas of tax , spending and social policy . Now it has emerged Mr Farage plans to keep the party ’ s policy pitch to voters secret for as long as he can . He told BBC One ’ s Sunday Politics : ‘ My view on our release of the manifesto is we should do it as late as practicably possible because I think by then people will want to see something fresh , new and positive. ’ Bizarrely , he said he did not want to release his manifesto yet because the ‘ general election campaign has already gone on for far too long as far as most of the public are concerned ’ . He added : ‘ People are getting bored to death . Every day there are all sorts of pronouncements being made by Labour and the Conservatives to appease all sorts of special interest groups . I think most of what ’ s being said is already going in one ear and out of the other. ’ Tim Aker was been replaced as the Ukip policy chief after failing to complete the party 's manifesto in time . Ukip 's deputy chairman Suzanne Evans was put in charge of the manifesto process , with the final document to be unveiled in Margate this weekend . Nigel Farage has disowned the whole of the 2010 Ukip manifesto , despite writing its foreword . Some of the more eye-catching policies in Ukip 's 2010 manifesto include : . Parliament is due to be dissolved on March 30 , with the general election held on May 7 . In January it emerged that Tim Aker had been replaced as the Ukip policy chief after failing to complete the party 's manifesto in time . Ukip 's deputy chairman Suzanne Evans was put in charge of the manifesto process , with the final document to be unveiled in Margate this weekend . Asked why it was not published , Mr Farage said today : ‘ No , no . That was never , ever said . The idea we would publish a manifesto so long before a general election. ’ But Miss Evans made clear in January : ‘ ' I relish the task of putting together the final details and presenting a sensible , radical and fully costed manifesto at our spring conference in Margate . ' Mr Farage has previously insisted all of the party ’ s manifesto will have been full costed , but suggested voting Ukip is about ‘ a state of mind ’ rather than detailed policies . However , policy splits have emerged . Mr Farage sparked controversy by claiming that privatising large parts of the NHS was ' a debate that we 're all going to have to return to ' if the health service was going to stay affordable . But Ukip 's health spokesman , Louise Bours , insisted her leader was out of touch with the public when it came to the NHS . She insisted the party ’ s policy on the NHS would contain ‘ not a whiff ’ of privatisation . Mr Farage also clashed with his economics spokesman Patrick O ’ Flynn , after he suggested a 'Wag Tax ' on designer shoes and handbags . The UKIP leader tore up the plan for 25 per cent VAT rate for top-end goods insisting : 'It 's dead . '
Ukip leader over-rules manifesto chief who said it would be public by now . Nigel Farage said manifesto would be launched at conference in Margate . Farage backs delay so policies will seem 'fresh , new and positive ' But it will mean voters have less time to scrutinise the details of policies . 2010 manifesto ditched as 'drivel ' , despite Farage writing its foreword . Included uniforms for taxi drivers and painting trains in traditional colours .