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General election 2019: Nigel Farage wants election 'alliance' with Tories | |
(about 16 hours later) | |
Nigel Farage says there needs to be "some kind of alliance" between the Tories and the Brexit Party for the upcoming election. | |
Reports have suggested Mr Farage's party would stand down hundreds of election candidates for December's poll to stop a split in the pro-Brexit vote. | |
The Conservatives have consistently ruled out a formal pact with the party. | |
It comes after President Donald Trump said Mr Farage and Boris Johnson should team up as "an unstoppable force". | |
The Brexit Party will hold its official election campaign launch later on Friday, where Mr Farage will announce the party's strategy. | |
Mr Farage has been critical of Mr Johnson's failure to deliver on his promise that the UK would leave the EU on 31 October. | |
But earlier this week, the Telegraph reported the Brexit Party was considering removing candidates to help the Conservatives win a majority of seats in 12 December's election to ensure the UK leaves the EU. | |
Instead, it said, they would focus their energies on Labour-held seats which voted Leave in the 2016 election. | |
Mr Farage called the reports "idle speculation". | |
But speaking about his party's launch on Friday morning, he told LBC radio: "Most of what I will be saying will be about Boris' deal and the need, in my view, for some kind of alliance." | |
He refused to comment on whether the Brexit Party would be fielding "20 or 200 candidates". | |
Remain pacts | |
On the other side of the Brexit debate, Remain-supporting parties have been negotiating electoral pacts in certain constituencies. | |
The potential agreements would see the Liberal Democrats, Greens and Plaid Cymru stand aside for each other to ensure the election of as many MPs who back a second Brexit referendum as possible. | The potential agreements would see the Liberal Democrats, Greens and Plaid Cymru stand aside for each other to ensure the election of as many MPs who back a second Brexit referendum as possible. |
Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley said it was "no secret" that the his party was "talking to the Lib Dems and Plaid" but "nothing has been finalised". | Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley said it was "no secret" that the his party was "talking to the Lib Dems and Plaid" but "nothing has been finalised". |