Nigel Farage has been accused of “playing mind games” with Tory MPs as he made it clear he is still considering a run for Parliament at the general election.
The former Ukip and Brexit Party leader turned star GB News host is currently honourary President of Reform UK but has been eyeing a bid to become an MP since he came out of the Australian jungle for ITV’s I’m a Celebrity last year.
Express.co.uk was the first to reveal that Farage was considering running in Clacton in Essex against Tory MP and former Remainer Giles Watling.
Clacton was the seat that Douglas Carswell won for Ukip ahead of the EU Referendum and held on to in 2015 before stepping down in 2017.
Mr Farage addressed the speculation over the general election bid in an interview for UnHerd.
Asked about the election bid tobe an MP, he said: “I honestly don’t know.”
He went on: “Life for me is pretty good. I’ve got a job that I love… I’m earning very good money, which I haven’t done for 30 years.
“The kids are all grown up… getting back into politics means giving all that up. But maybe, just maybe.”
One Tory MP reacted: “He’s just playing mind games with us now!”
Another said: “If he’s serious that means I stand no chance of winning my seat.”
With Reform UK on the rise up to 13% in the last Techne UK poll, theree are fears among Conservatives that Farage spearheading a general election campaign will see their vote split further.
In some regions, a third of the 2019 Tory voters have switched to Reform UK.
Already Reform has been boosted by the defection of Lee Anderson who joined after he was suspended by the Tories over comments he made about London’s Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan which Rishi Sunak claimed were “Islamophobic”.
Farage ws the first person to call on Anderson to join Reform after has suspended in an interview in Washington DC with Express.co.uk.
The one thing many believe is holding Farage back as he prepares to celebrate his 60th birthday next week is the prospect of Donald Trump winning the US Presidential election.
It is known that Trump wants Farage on the campaign trail for him in the election in November which could clash with the one in the UK.
Added to that there is speculation that Farage will get a job if Trump wins.
