Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage have both dismissed the prospect of an election deal between their two parties.
The Tory leader insisted that an agreement with Reform UK was “for the birds”.
Meanwhile, Reform leader Mr Farage said his party would not do a pact with the Conservatives because they do not consider them to be “honourable”.
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Speaking as she marked 100 days in office yesterday, Ms Badenoch warned that striking a deal with Reform would drive away Tory voters who did not want to see her “get into bed” with Mr Farage.
She told The Telegraph: “The Conservative Party is a broad church. When we had disagreements, what people saw was disunity. We’ve now got a place where we are unified.
“The idea that you just do something with a whole different bunch of people and it’s going to be fine is for the birds. Politics just doesn’t work like that.
“There are many people who vote Conservative, who, if they think that we’re having mergers or pacts or whatever with Reform, will go elsewhere.”
Meanwhile, Mr Farage accused the Tories of betraying him at the 2019 election when he stood down Reform candidates in key seats.
Asked if he stood by Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf’s comments that the party would not do a pact with the Tories or Boris Johnson, the Clacton MP said: “To do a pact with people, you’ve got to think, I’m going to shake your hand and you’re an honourable person.
“After the betrayal post the 2019 election, we do not believe them to be honourable. Simple as that, so the answer is no.”
Speaking at a Farmers To Action event in north London, Mr Farage added: “I think we’re the ones providing the challenge. We’re the ones out doing stuff every day. We may only have five MPs, but boy, they’re certainly being felt in Westminster, and the Labour Party doesn’t know what it is anymore.
“And frankly, today’s the 100th day of Kemi Badenoch’s leadership – it doesn’t stand for anything.”
It comes as Reform has now lead a series of polls as the insurgent party gains momentum, while Labour has plummeted.
