Reform UK’s Nigel Farage has reportedly told donors that he expects a merger or deal with the Conservatives before the next general election. However, Farage has strenuously denied the rumour – at least publicly.
The Financial Times broke the story, stating that Farage would only make a deal on his terms. Apparently the Reform leader’s feelings are still hurt after his 2019 Brexit Party pact with the Tories resulted in him winning exactly zero seats.
Liars or sparkling dishonesty?
Reform is currently topping the YouGov UK voting intention polls, ahead of Labour and the Tories. However, their forecast vote share has been on a steady decline since 22 September, dropping from 29% to 25%. For their parts, Labour and the Tories are both languishing at 19%.
That 6% lead over both main parliamentary parties is significant. However, Anthony Wells – YouGov’s head of politics and elections – has speculated that tactical voting from left/liberal voters could still effectively deny Farage the prime ministership.
One Reform donor said of a potential pact:
They will have to come together. The Conservatives have been a successful political party forever because the left was always divided . . . If the right is divided, it can’t win.
However, Farage dismissed the notion, telling the Financial Times that “sometimes people hear what they want to”:
After next May, the Conservatives will no longer be a national party.
I would never do a deal with a party that I don’t trust. No deals, just a reverse takeover. A deal with them as they are would cost us votes.
He also posted on Twitter:
A false story in the FT tonight claims Reform would do a deal with the Tories.
After 14 years of dishonesty & lies they should never be forgiven. The idea I’d work with them is ludicrous.
They betrayed my trust in 2019 & we will ensure they cease to be a national party in May.
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) December 2, 2025
For her part, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has also previously rejected similar speculations regarding a Tory-Reform pact. A few months back, she stated:
I am the custodian of an institution that has existed for nigh on 200 years . . . I can’t just treat it like it’s a toy and have pacts and mergers.
They’re the same picture
However, for all Farage’s talk of Tories being dishonest liars, he’s certainly willing to welcome them into his party. Just as a reminder, here’s a list of Tory defectors to Reform (strap in, it’s bloody long):
- Johnathan Gullis, ex-Tory chairman
- Lia Nici, former MP for Great Grimsby
- Chris Green, former MP for Bolton West
- Danny Kruge, former MP for East Wiltshire
- Nadine Dorries, ex-Secretary of Culture
- Sarah Pochin, a councillor
- Richard Tice, a multimilllionaire Tory member and donor
- Rupert Lowe, a former Tory member
- Lee Anderson, former deputy chairman
- Maria Caulfield, a former health minister
- Adam Holloway, one-time Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
- Jake Berry, ex-chairman of the Conservative Party
- Morley parliamentary seat as a Tory Andrea Jenkyns, ex-MP for Morley
- Marco Longhi had been Dudley MP
- Ross Thomson, former Aberdeen South MP
- David Jones, Welsh secretary of state
That’s not even including Farage himself, of course – also a former member of the Conservatives. Of course, he was also a member of the Anti-Federalist League, then UKIP, then the Brexit Party, and then Reform too. This is because he’s a political chancer who regularly fucks off to wherever he thinks he can do most damage.
So, yeah, whatever – Reform might do a deal with the Tories, they might merge together, they might not. All of this is beside the point.
These are the same fucking parties in a slightly different shade of blue. They’re made up of a revolving carousel of the same bigoted creeps. They share the same racist, immigrant-bashing, queer-hating, anti-worker policies. Who cares what colour ties they wear? They’re all the same old scum.
Featured image via the Canary
This post was originally published on Canary.