THE “arrogant” Tories should stand aside and let the Brexit Party win seats in Leave-backing areas rather than the other way around, its leading figures demanded.

MEP Claire Fox said she liked the idea of electoral pacts with the Conservatives – but on her party’s terms.

2 MEP Claire Fox said she liked the idea of electoral pacts with the Conservatives – but on her party’s terms Credit: Alamy

She claimed that if it hadn’t been for Nigel Farage’s new movement, Theresa May would still be in Downing Street and Britain would not be leaving the EU.

Miss Fox told Sky News: “The first job of the Brexit Party is to make sure Brexit’s delivered and if that involves electoral pacts, that might happen.

“Maybe the Tory party might, instead of telling the Brexit Party what to do, make an approach to the Brexit Party and say I’ll tell you what, we’ll stand aside in certain areas.

“That would be a very positive thing for me, let’s work together for a new kind of politics.”

NEW KIND OF POLITICS

She said it was “peculiar and actually really offensive” for the Tories to say “OK Brexit Party, you can stand down now” because of Boris’s tough line on leaving the EU.

The Brexit Party was blamed for taking enough votes from the Conservatives at last week’s Brecon by-election to hand the seat to the pro-Remain Liberal Democrats.

But Miss Fox pointed out that the Tories could have equally “given the Brexit Party a clear ride” at the Peterborough by-election in June, where they ended up a “very close second”.

Brexit Party founder Mr Farage agreed with her analysis, vowing: “We’re here to stay.”

He said on Twitter: “As Claire Fox says, it is arrogant for the Conservatives to say we should stand aside.

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“They are the very reason we exist. We simply do not trust them to deliver.”

It is thought that at least 10 Tory MPs fearful of losing crucial votes to the Brexit Party - which won 29 seats at May’s European

Parliament elections - are pleading with its chiefs not to put up candidates in their constituencies.

2 Brexit Party founder Nigel Farage agreed with Claire Fox and vowed: 'We’re here to stay' Credit: EPA

Claire Fox explains reasons for her surprise decision to stand for The Brexit Party