Conservatives say Nigel Farage 'should be nowhere near government' as they rule out election pact
2 min read
Tory bosses have ruled out an election pact with the Brexit Party and insisted Nigel Farage "should not be allowed anywhere near government."
The brutal slapdown came after Mr Farage offered a tie-up with the Conservatives if Boris Johnson backs a no-deal Brexit.
Sources close to the former Ukip chief told the Mirror that the Brexit Party would stand aside in the 28 seats held by the Tory MPs who voted against Theresa May's deal three times.
He said: "We wouldn’t stand against any of them, we would endorse those candidates and we’d ask Brexit Party voters to back them and even campaign for them.
"That offer is open to any sitting Conservative Party MP who publicly says they will not vote for the withdrawal agreement if and when Boris brings one back."
In an advert on the front page of the Daily Express, the Brexit Party said: "To seal our non-aggression pact, Boris must back a clean-break Brexit and forget about recycling Mrs May's withdrawal agreement.
"Together we can rout the Remainers and win a big majority in Parliament for Brexit and democracy. Does Boris have the courage?"
A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: "The Prime Minister will not be doing a deal with Nigel Farage."
And a senior Conservative source added: "Neither Nigel Farage or Arron Banks are fit and proper persons and they should not be anywhere near government."
The row continues a feud which began during the EU referendum when Mr Farage's Leave.EU outfit battled with Vote Leave to become the official Brexit campaign.
Vote Leave - run by Mr Johnson's top adviser Dominic Cummings - emerged victorious, and both sides have been at odds ever since.
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