Rishi Sunak flatly rejects General Election deal with Nigel Farage and Reform UK
Rishi Sunak has insisted there are only two people who can become Prime Minister, ruling out a deal with Nigel Farage
Rishi Sunak has ruled out a General Election deal with Reform UK, despite Nigel Farage insisting he was open to conversation with the Tories.
The Reform UK honorary president hinted at the possibility on Wednesday, but was shut down by the Prime Minister.
Asked about a possible deal like one struck by the Tories in 2019, Mr Sunak said: "There's only going to be one or two people who's going to be prime minister on July 5.
“It's either Keir Starmer or me. So the choice for everyone in this election and a vote for anyone who isn't a Conservative candidate, is a vote to put Keir Starmer into No 10.
"So if you're someone who believes that we need to tackle illegal migration, then I'm the right person to be your prime minister because I'm the one that's got a clear plan to do.
"We've already got the numbers down last year and we're willing to take the bold action that is necessary to stop the boats and what we're seeing now across Europe."
He added that "the penny is dropping that our approach is the right one" across Europe but said: “The only person who doesn't agree with that is Keir Starmer and that's the choice of this election."
When pressed to confirm whether he was ruling out a deal with Reform, he said: "Yes."
Mr Farage accused the Tories of betraying voters on illegal immigration.
He said: “I got rid of Mrs May with the Brexit Party. I stood aside with Boris to help a massive majority. What are they going to do back for me?”
Asked if he would accept a peerage from the Conservative Party, he replied: “No, I’m not asking for anything other than: I’ve done them some huge favours over the years as a party, give me something back. We might have a conversation.”
Mr Farage said he believes Reform UK will “win a few” seats at the General Election but “not many because that’s the system we’re having to live with”.
Mr Farage’s Brexit party did not field any candidates in 2019 against the Conservatives in the 317 seats they won after Boris Johnson committed to leaving the EU by 2020.
The Prime Minister spent the day in Devon, where he met with a group of people who had taken over community ownership of a village pub. He sat at a long table with the pub's committee and drank a pint of lemonade from a traditional beer mug.
He was joined by Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary and Conservative MP for Central Devon.
Answering a question from the Express in Honiton, East Devon, Mr Sunak insisted there will be a "retirement tax" under a Labour government.
The Opposition has refused to back a £295 tax break for pensioners.
Mr Sunak said: "I don't think that's right because I believe in a country where if you work hard all your life and you put in, you deserve dignity in retirement."
