I am disappointed that Boris Johnson has ruled out an electoral pact with the Brexit Party. My offer to him was made on the principle of putting country before party.

Furthermore, it was a logical and winning formula which would have guaranteed killing two birds with one stone: delivering a clean break Brexit; and smashing the undemocratic Lib Dems and increasingly dangerous Labour Party. Yet he has turned up his nose at this opportunity. I think he has made a huge mistake.

Over the last few weeks I have been touring the country and meeting large audiences in predominantly Labour areas. The passion shown by so many people in these places is extraordinary. They crave not just Brexit but a new kind of politics altogether. Trust in Labour and the Tories is at rock bottom. For them, only the Brexit Party can deliver.

It is easy to see why. Since the referendum there have been too many broken promises. Many Leave-voting Labour heartlands have Remain MPs who refuse to recognise the democratic decision to honour Brexit. But these people will never vote Tory. This is what the prime minister refuses to understand.

Recently, I spoke at a hugely successful rally in Doncaster. So many people there said the same thing: they could never back the Conservatives, even though Boris Johnson sounded strong on Brexit. A few days after my visit, Johnson himself went to Doncaster. Frankly, he wasted his time. Without question, he underestimates the way I could help with the Labour Leave vote.