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8mo ago

Farage and Conservatives Deny Pre‑Election Pact as FT Report Triggers Pushback

Both sides dismiss talk of a merger or deal, citing deep mistrust and conflicting incentives under first‑past‑the‑post.

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Both Farage and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch have dismissed the possibility of any electoral agreement, but they may not need one to unite the right
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Overview

  • Farage rejected an FT report that he told donors a Tory–Reform pact was inevitable, calling it false and declaring “no deals, just a reverse takeover.”
  • A Conservative spokesperson said the party will not consider pacts under Kemi Badenoch’s leadership, issuing a categorical refusal to any pre‑election agreement.
  • The denials follow fresh momentum for Reform UK, which on 1 December gained three former Tory MPs — Jonathan Gullis, Lia Nici and Chris Green — taking media tallies of ex‑Tories in its ranks to roughly 18–20.
  • Polling cited by Sky News puts Reform at about 26% nationally, with Labour and the Conservatives around 19% each, underscoring right‑of‑centre vote‑splitting concerns under first‑past‑the‑post.
  • Financial disclosures reported this year show the Conservatives raised about £6.3m in the first half of 2025 versus £2.1m for Reform, while Farage points to a 2019 Brexit Party pact as the source of his distrust.