Nigel Farage has been hailed as "brilliant" for his "clever" move in offering a "lifeline" to all sitting Tory councillors facing re-election by the Reform UK group leader in Wales.
Farage, leader of Reform UK, has emailed a letter to every sitting Conservative county councillor, asking them to defect to his party.
In the letter, sent to nearly 1,500 councillors, Farage stated: "The Conservative Party is a busted flush – these 1,352 councillors are watching their time in office tick away, whilst they argue between themselves on whether to choose a leader that’s undergone a damascene political conversion and someone who won’t leave the ECHR.
"I urge any Conservative Party councillors who believe in their country and share our values to join Reform UK as we build on the extraordinary inroads we made at the general election."
Nigel Farage has been hailed by a Welsh Reform UK Councillor for sending a letter to all sitting Tory members
GB News / PA
GB News has obtained a copy of the full letter, which GB News Members can read here. Shortly after the plea was made by Farage, Epping Forest District Councillor Jaymey McIvor announced he is the first to defect to Reform.
Throwing his support behind Farage for sending the letter, Welsh Councillor David Thomas heaped praise on his party leader, agreeing that it is a "lifeline for principled Tories to leave a sinking ship".
Thomas told GB News: "I think it's brilliant, and I think if you're a Conservative councillor, this is a lifeline to join a party with with purpose and a party with clear direction for the future."
When pressed by GB News Political Editor Christopher Hope on whether the letter could be seen as "desperate", Thomas disagreed, explaining: "I don't think it's desperate at all. I think what he's done is a very clever move.
Nigel Farage has written to every sitting Conservative county councillor facing re-election asking them to defect to Reform UK
PA"The Conservative Party brand is broken. Tory voters have completely lost trust in the Conservative Party now, and many of the of the original Tory ideology, Reform stands for."
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Highlighting the upcoming Welsh elections, Christopher asked Thomas if the focus of the Reform Party "should be on the main election, and not specifically on councillors".
Thomas responded: "I think what he's doing is offering them a lifeline to a broken party. The Conservative Party is finished.
"And this is a real point that people need to understand - there's no shame in leaving a party that no longer reflects your core values or beliefs, maybe even the core values of your constituents.
"So staying true to your principles is far more important than any loyalty to a party that's now broken.
David Thomas claimed the Conservative Party is 'broken' and a 'sinking ship'
GB News
Turning the discussion to the imminent selection of the next Conservative Party leader, Christopher grilled Thomas on Robert Jenrick's claim that he will take the Tories "back to the centre right" if he is elected.
Criticising Jenrick, Thomas fumed: "I don't trust Robert at all. I don't trust the Tories at all.
"No matter what they say, they say one thing to get into power and then once they're in, it's gone.
"So everything that Robert's saying, I would say is complete nonsense."
