Nigel Farage on Time’s person of year shortlist

The former UKIP leader Nigel Farage.

Nigel Farage has been shortlisted for the title of Time magazine’s person of the year, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and singer Beyonce.

The former UKIP leader is one of 11 contenders named by the US publication, which cites his role in helping bring about Brexit.

Others on its list include US President-elect Donald Trump and his defeated opponent Hillary Clinton.

Time announces the winner of the accolade next Wednesday.

Revealing the shortlist, which is chosen by Time editors, the magazine said: “As head of the UK Independence Party, Farage was a face of the successful campaign for Britain to leave the European Union, positioning the referendum as the start of a global populist wave against the political establishment.”

The other contenders are:

• US Olympic gymnast Simone Biles
• Russia’s CRISPR scientists, who have developed technology that can edit DNA
• Turkish Preisdent Recep Tayyip Erdogan
• Residents of Flint, Michigan who blew the whistle on lead-poisoned water
• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
• Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg

Last year’s Time person of the year winner was German Chancellor Angela Merkel. (bbcnews)