Nigel Farage ready to strike election pact with Boris Johnson to deliver Brexit with majority of 100 seats after secret talks
NIGEL Farage is ready to strike an election pact with Boris Johnson to help him deliver Brexit.
He has warned the PM it is the only way to stop the “ragbag alliance” of Remainer MPs from toppling the Tories.
Senior party figures believe an agreement is within reach after holding secret talks with Mr Farage.
But it would be agreed only if BoJo promises a “clean-break Brexit” which Mr Farage believes most Tories want.
The Brexit Party leader had previously ruled out a deal with the Conservatives because he did not believe he could trust them.
But he is now willing to consider a “non-aggression pact” to give BoJo the Commons majority he needs to take Britain out of the EU.
It would mean the parties giving each other a free run in seats where they stood the best chance of winning — to avoid splitting the vote.
TORY REBELS
The need for a Boris-Farage pact has been heightened by a Lib Dem agreement not to oppose a dozen expelled Tory Remainers if they stand as independents at the next election.
Mr Farage told The Sun on Sunday: “It’s my view that Boris has no choice but to come and do a deal with the Brexit Party.
“I’m openly offering one but it has to be on the basis of him delivering a clean-break Brexit, which seems to be what he and most of his party want any way. To deliver Brexit, we must defeat Jeremy Corbyn and his Remainer Labour Party.
“It is the Brexit Party which stands the best chance of taking the fight to Labour in its heartlands.”
Brexiteers fear defeat in a snap election will allow a Remainer alliance of Labour, Lib Dem, SNP, Independent and Tory refusenik MPs to seize power and force Britain to stay in the EU.
ELECTION PACT
They want a deal where Mr Farage would not field candidates in Tory areas where they risked splitting the Leave vote and handing the seat to Labour.
In return, the Brexit Party would be given a free run in Leave-voting Labour seats where Tories are unpopular.
Mr Farage added: “Together we would be unstoppable, rout the Remainers and deliver a large Brexit majority in Parliament. If Boris seizes the opportunity, he can be a hero.”
He : "We have done a huge amount of research and analysis on this that will say to Boris Johnson's team: 'If you do this, between us we'll have a majority of between 70 and 100 seats.' "
Mr Johnson has repeatedly ruled out any deal with Mr Farage and insists he can lead his party to victory without his help. But today’s polling suggests the Brexit Party would be a vital ally.
Former Brexit minister Steve Baker has warned that Brexit would be “lost” without a pact. He pointed out the Tories were beaten in the recent Peterborough and Brecon by-elections because the Brexit Party split their vote.
Mr Farage, who has 600 candidates ready to fight a general election, has held talks with top Tories including former ministers and members of the European Research Group. But they fear Mr Johnson’s senior adviser Dominic Cummings is standing in the way of a pact because he loathes Mr Farage.
most read in brexit
A well-placed source said: “We think he is the obstacle between Boris and Nigel doing a deal — yet the polls show it would be a common sense move for both parties to come to one.
“It’s widely felt that it would be madness to let the Remainers form a powerful new alliance while the Brexiteers are undermining each other.
“Nigel was very much against doing any sort of deal with the Tories. Now, after three years of watching MPs try to thwart the referendum result, he wants to put Brexit first.”
- GOT a news story? RING us on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL [email protected]