Lee Anderson issues warning as Nigel Farage makes bold Reform UK claim: ‘Risking backdoor EU entry!’

But Farage’s Reform UK backing could prove costly, he warned, as the party may help pave the way for a Labour government.

Anderson told Martin Daubney that Reform UK pose a “bigger threat than Labour” and could inadvertently spark a new Brexit row.

“I’ve got a lot of time for Nigel, he’s a colleague on this news channel and he’s probably one of the reasons I’ve got my seat in Ashfield”, he said.

“He campaigned to leave the European Union, he did very well with UKIP, they were getting 10-11,000 votes in places like Ashfield and Mansfield in 2015.

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“I think UKIP were actually winning by-elections. Reform aren’t winning by-elections, they’re even struggling to scrape their deposit.

“Reform are a threat. They’re a bigger threat to country than the Labour Party I think.

“If Reform do pick off a lot of us Conservative MPs, we’re going to end up with a Labour government, that’s the last thing I want.

“Nigel runs the risk of losing a lot of Tory seats to put some Remoaners back in power, that’s a backdoor entrance back into the EU.”

The Tory Deputy Chairman went onto suggest Reform are only likely to make inroads if they are led into the election by Farage.

The GB News presenter has long been mooted for a political comeback and did not rule out a return after his I’m a Celebrity appearance.

Anderson said that while he “has a lot of time” for the party’s current leader Richard Tice, he is sceptical about his vote-winning abilities.

“Nigel is the figurehead. He does a great job”, he said.

“He has to stand in the election. I have a lot of time for Richard Tice, but I knock on doors in Ashfield and no one has heard of him.

“I fail to see where they win a seat. Our electoral system does not allow smaller parties like Reform to win seats.

“We would need proportional representation. I understand why some of our voters are frustrated, but Reform is not the answer.”

The former UKIP leader suggested many disillusioned voters may opt to vote Reform due to Tory failings on issues like migration.

In a scathing remark, he branded the party a "busted flush" as he questioned whether Labour, led by Keir Starmer, can do any better.