Nigel Farage says if Brexit party is given free run in Labour heartlands, it will not contest seats where it might split leave voters away from Tories

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The Brexit party should be given a free run at targeting traditional Labour heartlands in the North, Midlands and Wales by the Conservatives as part of an electoral pact, its leader, Nigel Farage said.

Farage, writing in the Sunday Telegraph, said the offer of a non-aggression pact was “100% sincere” and would help return the prime minister, Boris Johnson, to Downing Street.

The Conservative leader’s plans to hold a general election were thwarted earlier this week when the government proposed a snap poll but an insufficient number of MPs backed the move.

According to the paper, the former Ukip leader wants to see the Brexit party not face Tory opposition in seats such as Wansbeck, currently held by the Labour chairman, Ian Lavery, and West Bromwich East, held by the deputy leader, Tom Watson.

In return the Brexit party would not contest seats where they could split the so-called leave vote, the Telegraph reported.

Farage wrote: “If the general election which this country so badly needs is to result in the pro-Brexit outcome which the majority of voters crave, Mr Johnson must agree an electoral pact with the Brexit party.

“Johnson should cast his mind back to the European elections in May, in which his party came fifth, and ask himself: does he want the Tories to find themselves in a similarly disastrous position when the results of the next general election come in, or does he want to sign a non-aggression pact with me and return to Downing Street?

“We are not playing political games. I have spent more than 25 years fighting for Brexit. It is now within our grasp.”

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The Brexit party has taken out adverts in a number of Sunday newspapers with “an election offer for Boris”.

The adverts say: “Let’s have a clean-break Brexit, then we will help you secure a big Brexit majority and destroy Corbyn’s Labour. Together we would be unstoppable.”

The Brexit party took 30.5% of the national vote at the European elections in May and gained 29 of the 73 UK seats, while the Conservatives won only four seats and 8.8% of the vote, coming in fifth.