Tory leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat has set out the conditions that he would expect Nigel Farage to meet before any suggestion of the Reform leader joining the party can be entertained.
He joined Jacob Rees-Mogg on GB News to set out his stall for the Conservative Party leadership.
Asked by the People’s Channel host whether he would welcome the country’s “leading campaigner” on the matter of illegal immigration into the Conservative Party, Tugendhat suggested the Reform chief has already made his own mind up.
“I think Nigel has made plain his view on the Conservative Party”, he said.
Tom Tugendhat says Nigel Farage has already decided whether he will join the Tories
GB NEWS
“But I do welcome his support. We do need to bring conservatives together. We have seen conservatives divided and the recent election has effectively given the Labour government a majority without a mandate.”
Asked if he “wants” Farage to join the party, he said: “I think Nigel has made his position clear.
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Tugendhat joined Jacob Rees-Mogg on GB News
GB NEWS
“What I want him to do is champion conservative views. I haven’t heard him doing that in favour of the Conservative Party in a while.
“He has championed some conservative views but very much in terms of other parties.
“He needs to champion the Conservative Party.”
Ahead of the General Election, Farage ruled out joining the Tory party saying he wants “nothing to do with them”.
Senior figures within the party like Jacob Rees-Mogg have called for the Reform UK leader to join their ranks in a bid to boost popularity.
But the 60-year-old appears committed to his own political movement with Reform and he amassed over four million votes at the election.
Despite the populist party’s hefty vote share, just five MPs were returned to Parliament.
The low number of MPs has renewed calls for a change of electoral system with Nigel Farage demanding more proportionality in voting.
The ex-Ukip leader led a relatively successful campaign with a laser-focus on the migrant crisis.
He regularly attacked the Tories throughout his campaign and accused them of frequently breaking promises made to the British public.