Conservative and Reform politicians have held top-secret talks about an election deal to kick Sir Keir Starmer out of Downing Street, it was claimed today.
Both parties have denied any agreement is possible, with a Reform source saying: “That’s fake news.”
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “Complete and utter nonsense. The Conservative Party will not negotiate with people who want to destroy us.”
But The Spectator magazine, which has close links to the Conservative Party and is edited by former Tory education secretary Michael Gove, reported: “In private, informal discussions have taken place with figures in both parties.”
The magazine’s political editor, Katy Balls, wrote: “Some Tories have concluded that as the election gets closer, the situation could get worse for them. Better to form an alliance sooner rather than later.”
Options are said to include a formal elections pact, with the parties agreeing not to stand candidates against each other. This could mean Reform standing in “Red Wall” seats in the North while Conservatives stand candidates in their traditional heartlands.
Another possibility is a very informal arrangement that might never be officially acknowledged. Labour and the Liberal Democrats are thought to have done this in the 2024 election, where they stood candidates against each other but did not campaign in seats where the other party had the best chance of winning.
A third possibility is a full-blown merger, according to Ms Balls – and the potential new party has already been given a name, with some Tories suggesting “the Reformed Conservative Party”, she writes.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform leader Nigel Farage have both ruled out any merger between their parties.
A YouGov survey found 25% of voters would back Reform if a poll were held tomorrow, with 24% ready to vote Labour and 21% backing the Tories.
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, the former business secretary, is one of those publicly calling for pact. He warned that Labour could score another victory “if the Right remains split”.
The Tory grandee told GB News: “In a first-past-the-post electoral system, each wing of politics needs to unite, otherwise it will lose.
“If we enter the next election in this three-horse race without a pact, we may well see Labour keep its majority, and just look how badly they’re governing.”
“It’s the one outcome neither the Tories nor Reform want.”
