Tory voters want Boris to join forces with Nigel Farage to defeat Labour in an election after Brexit Party boss promises to deliver 100-strong majority
TORY voters want Boris Johnson to join forces with Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party to defeat Labour in a general election.
A shock poll revealed that 73 per cent want the PM to form a pact – after the Brexiteer claimed he could deliver 100-strong majority.
LET'S MAKE A DEAL
Brexit Party supporters are also keen on working with the Tories with 79 per cent saying they want to make a deal, the Sunday Times reports.
However, while voters are keen on the plot senior Conservatives ARE remaining tight-lipped on any prospect of a pact.
Today Sajid Javid refused to rule it out but said the party did not need an alliance to see of Jeremy Corbyn.
He told the Andrew Marr Show: “We don't need an electoral alliance with anyone. We can stand on our own two feet, put our message across.
"The picture our opponents are painting of us, of course they would paint a false picture. We are a proud centre-right, moderate, one-nation party.
We don't need an electoral alliance with anyone. We can stand on our own two feet, put our message across.
Sajid Javid
"There is nothing extremist about wanting to meet the will of the British people on a simple question which was 'Do you want to leave the EU or not?'
"We are not in an election yet. I am clear we do not need an alliance with anyone."
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.' "
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.
Nigel Farage
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.
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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.”
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