Farage Announces Run for MP, Says Pact Could Give BoJo 100-Seat Majority

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage has confirmed that he will be running for a parliamentary seat in a future General Election.

Mr Farage made the announcement of Sophy Ridge on Sunday, but declined to reveal for which constituency, saying: “…of course I’ll stand. I will lead the charge on behalf of the Brexit Party.”

“We are in a position here where if we get to the 1st of November and haven’t left the European Union you will see support for the Brexit Party rise considerably, and I do think in those circumstances we’ve got a very, very important role to play.”

The Brexit Party, only recognised by the Electoral Commission in February 2019, had amassed hundreds of parliamentary candidates who are prepared to stand in the next General Election, which could come as early as this autumn if the Tories fail to deliver Brexit on time.

While the Brexit Party seeks to target Labour Leaver heartlands abandoned by Corbyn’s pro-Remain stance, Mr Farage has said he will challenge Tory seats if Prime Minister Boris Johnson continues to pursue a renegotiated exit treaty with the EU rather than a no-deal Brexit.

Farage wrote in a party ad published Sunday’s Telegraph: “As the Conservative conference opens, there are really only two Brexit choices: a clean break or a bad deal. Anything less than a Clean-Break Brexit would betray 17.4 million Leave voters.”

Mr Farage also told Ms Ridge that his offer of a non-aggression pact with the Tory Party was still on the table, saying:  “Here is a way for Boris to get a big, workable majority. We’re happy to help with that.”

“We’re the party that believes in a clean-break Brexit, because that’s the only way that we can honour the referendum, and we’ve said that if Boris Johnson’s party goes for a clean-break then of course, we ought to have a non-aggression pact.

“Actually, if that did happen, Johnson would win a very big parliamentary majority,” the Brexit Party leader said, estimating “he would have a majority of 60 to 100 seats… here is a way for Boris to get a big working majority.”

Prime Minister Johnson had, earlier on Sunday, ruled out a pact with the Mr Farage, saying on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “No. There is good reason for that, that is that the Conservative Party is the oldest and greatest political party in the world. It’s a big, broad church and we don’t do deals with other parties.”

A poll recently found that Labour Leavers were more likely to switch to the Brexit Party than defect to the Conservatives, revealing the need for Farage and Johnson to come to an agreement on the tactical placement of candidates so as not to split the Brexit vote. Tory Brexiteers back the pact, with chairman of the European Research Group Steve Baker saying an alliance was needed to stop the “Remain coalition”.