Tory members back election pact with Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party at general election Conservative members are warm to the idea of a Brexit electoral pact at the next election, as Boris Johnson extends his lead

Nearly two-thirds of Tory members would support a pact with Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party at the next election.

A YouGov poll for The Times on Saturday revealed that Conservative Party members are relaxed about the proposition of a formal alliance with the pro-Brexit party.

According to the polling, 65 per cent of activists would support a pact that would see the two parties not run candidates against eachother.

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Brexit Party open to pact

Nigel Farage has already signalled he would support a pact if a no-deal Brexit it is blocked in Parliament, and the next Prime Minister calls a fresh election on the issue.

The Brexit Party leader said on Wednesday: “If [Boris Johnson] is prepared to be voted down and go to a general election on that ticket then with the support of people like me he would win a massive, thumping majority.

“If he was prepared to do that, of course I’d want to work with them, of course I’d do that… I’ll work with the devil if they’re committed to getting us a genuine Brexit.”

Brexiteer Tory MPs have also fuelled talk of a pact, with foreign affairs select committee chair Crispin Blunt warning: “We are going to have to come to an accommodation with the Brexit Party.

“The Conservatives as a Brexit party [will have to] be very clear about their objectives are almost certainly going to have to go into some kind of electoral arrangement with the Brexit Party.”

However, Mr Johnson’s ally James Cleverly told the BBC’s Today programme: “I can’t see that’s something [Boris Johnson] would want to do, and I don’t think it’s anything he needs to do.

“He’s able to win elections with Conservatives and Conservative support. He didn’t reach electoral pacts in London, and I can’t imagine he would need to reach electoral pacts at this point.”

Massive polling lead

The poll also found that Mr Johnson has a seismic lead over rival Jeremy Hunt in the leadership contest.

74 per cent of Tory members plan to support Mr Johnson to lead the party, compared to just 26 per cent for Mr Hunt.

Nearly eight in ten Tory members, 78 per cent, believe that Mr Johnson would be a good Prime Minister.

However, 40 per cent of Tory members believe that Mr Johnson cannot be trusted to tell the truth, while less than half, 47 per cent, believe he can be trusted.

The 19-21 June polling was conducted prior to the late-night domestic incident between Mr Johnson and girlfriend Carrie Symonds.