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Tory MPs are begging the Brexit Party not to field candidates in their constituencies amid fears of a split vote, it is claimed.

Arron Banks, the co-founder of the Leave.EU campaign, said: "I have had at least 10 Tory MPs contact me saying: 'Please persuade Nigel not to run Brexit Party candidates in my area!"'

Nigel Farage's Brexit Party has said it will stand candidates in every seat at the next general election.

It came as Tory party chairman James Cleverly insisted the Conservatives are not going to "initiate" an election, amid speculation Boris Johnson will call for a vote to deliver Brexit.

Writing in the Daily Express, insurance tycoon Mr Banks said that the emergence of a "Remain alliance" should be taken seriously and urged the Tories to work with the Brexit Party.

Plaid Cymru and the Greens opted not to field a candidate in this week's Brecon and Radnorshire by-election, with Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds beating Conservative Chris Davies.

Mr Banks, a former donor to Ukip when run by Mr Farage, said: "The last two by-elections were lost because the Brexit vote was split, first by the Conservatives in Peterborough and then by the Brexit Party in Brecon.

"The real lesson is the Conservatives should take this new Remain Alliance seriously and be prepared to work with the Brexit Party to destroy Corbyn and the Labour Party."

The Tories gained the seat in mid-Wales in 2015 but a successful recall petition against Mr Davies, who pleaded guilty to filing false expense claims, triggered a by-election which saw the Liberal Democrat vote share increase by 14.4 per cent.

At the Peterborough by-election in June, Lisa Forbes retained the seat for Labour with a vote share of 30.9 per cent. Mike Greene for the Brexit Party came second with 28.9 per cent and Tory Paul Bristow third with 21.4 per cent.

It came as Tory chairman Mr Cleverly today sought to rule out a national vote this year, despite reports the PM was plotting for an election to boost his diminishing ranks in Parliament and increase his chances of getting a Brexit deal past MPs.

"There isn't. We are not going to initiate a general election," he said, when appearing on Sky's Sophy Ridge On Sunday.

"What we've got is a new prime minister who during the leadership campaign made a number of explicit commitments and he is setting about delivering on those commitments.

"Prime ministers making good on their promises is a good thing and that is what we are doing."