'Nigel Farage is a true patriot!’ Glowing praise for Brexit Party leader's ‘selfless’ act
NIGEL FARAGE has been showered with praise by Brexiteers for putting the interests of the UK before his own political ambitions after he backtracked on his vow stand election candidates against the Tories.
Brexit Party: Farage says party will not compete for Tory seats
In the most significant development since parties kicked off their campaigns last week, the Brexit Party leader announced he would not contest the 317 seats which were won by the Conservative Party in 2017. Speaking at a press conference in Hartlepool, he said he made the “difficult decision” to give Boris Johnson’s group a clear run after weighing up the risks of a hung Parliament being delivered on December 12 if the Leave vote was split. Within moments of making the shock announcement, praise started pouring in for the former UKIP leader with many pro-Brexit voters commending him for unilaterally creating a Leave alliance.
Tim Montgomerie, who advises the prime minister on social justice issues, took to Twitter to voice his support for Mr Farage’s latest move.
He said: “Well done Nigel Farage.
“We’ve all sometimes wondered if Nigel Farage wanted the spotlight too much but today he proved himself - first and foremost - a patriot.”
Pro-Brexit journalist Isabel Oakeshott, who is dating Brexit Party chairman Ricahrd Tice, said the decision caused Mr Farage “agony” but ultimately it was the right one.
She said: “This was agony for Nigel Farage but was the right thing to do.
“Personally I’ve never felt Corbyn was a price worth paying for Brexit (or indeed anything).”
And there were calls for Mr Farage to receive special Brexit awards for his “selfless” act.
READ MORE: Ann Widdecombe declares who is to blame for hung Parliament
Leave.EU boss Arrron Banks called him a “national hero” saying, “You rarely see a politician that puts country before self interest”.
One pro-Brexit voter wrote on Twitter: “Boris could learn a think or two from Nigel.
“Oh, and Nigel deserves a knighthood right now!”
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This morning the Brexit Party announced it was cancelling a scheduled campaign rally in Hartlepool, where Mr Tice is hoping to unseat Labour’s Mike Hill.
Instead, Mr Farage held an impromptu press conference in which he laid out the reason behind his decision, saying he feared splitting the Leave vote would result in gains, particularly in the South West, for the anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats.
He said: “The Brexit Party will not contest the 317 seats the Conservatives won at the last election – we will concentrate our total effort fighting the Labour Party.”
He added: ““So in a sense, we now have a Leave alliance it’s just that we’ve done it unilaterally.
“We’ve decided ourselves that we absolutely have to put country before party and take the fight to Labour.”
Mr Johnson responded positively to the announcement, saying: “We welcome Nigel Farage’s recognition that another gridlocked hung Parliament is the greatest threat to getting Brexit done.
“If we have another hung Parliament it would lead to two more chaotic referendums next year.
“The Conservative only need nine more seats to win a majority and leave by the end of January with a deal.
“We can then finally move on as a country, and focus on the priorities that matter to you and your family.”
He posted the statement on Twitter with the caption, “Only a Conservative majority can get Brexit done by the end of January with a deal that’s agreed and ready to go.”