Nigel Farage’s right-hand man pinpoints one key reason why voters are abandoning Tories

Nigel Farage's right hand man has revealed the reason why so many Tory voters are switching to Reform UK.

Ben Habib, deputy leader of Reform UK has said both Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer are treating the British public with contempt.

And the property tycoon - Nigel Farage’s right-hand man - has warned the Tories in particular they will pay a heavy price at the ballot box, while welcoming Mr Farage’s appointment as party leader and confirmation that is standing in Clacton.

Mr Habib, who is standing in Wellingborough, was speaking after the publication of a YouGov poll suggesting his eurosceptic party (17 points) is now just two points behind the Conservatives (19 points).

And referring both to the constituency in which he is running, and Basildon and Billericay, where Tory chairman Richard Holden was yesterday confirmed as a candidate, he told Mr Sunak the tendency to “parachute in” people with no connection to the seat was doing him no favours.

Speaking about the former UKIP leader’s return to the fray, Mr Habib, who has made no secret of his desire to see Mr Farage “get back in the ring”, told Express.co.uk: “I think it's given us quite a national boost instantly.

“He's a fantastic communicator, and he can make the case better than anyone, frankly, in politics and, and so we needed him to be doing that.

“I was very disappointed when he said he wasn't standing but he's obviously swung around to, in my view, the right decision.”

Speaking about the constituency where he previously stood in a by-election earlier this year, Mr Habib said: “Because of that, there's quite a lot of recognition as I walk around, which is very good.

“But the I think the mistake the Tories have made is, like they have done with Richard Holden, and they're parachuting in a Rishi Sunak acolyte.

“And that doesn't go down well if the party membership aren't behind it.”

Referring to the aftermath of the 2016 Brexit referendum, former Brexit Party MEP Mr Habib continued: “In the 1940s, 1950s, or whatever, the Conservative Party had three or four million members.

“The membership now is 150,000. And just like their parliamentary party stands in contempt of the people of the United Kingdom, they are now standing in contempt of their member.

“Because it's fairly small membership, which has less and less influence on how things go forward and the Conservative Party has therefore become a very undemocratic institution, led by the membership has become an autocratic, top down institution led by the parliamentary party, and the executive at CCHQ.

“A two-party system worked quite well in the United Kingdom when you had a democracy within each party. Are you with me? I know it sounds a bit weird.

“But if you don't have democracy within the Conservative party, and you don't have democracy within the Labour Party, because there are dominated by an intellectual, Islington elite, then what you've got is two parties that are both globalist, both without any democratic legitimacy within them within themselves.

“Our politics has been broken by the Conservative Party, by it turning its back Conservative principles.”

Conservatives in Basildon may even challenge the imposition of Mr Holden by central office, one senior figure said.

Mr Holden, until recently the MP for North West Durham, was the sole candidate presented on what was expected to be a shortlist of three names for Basildon constituency candidates, according to local Tory members.

The former MP has held several ministerial roles, as well as chairmanship of the Conservative Party, and would replace John Baron, who announced he would stand down as an MP in October last year.

Basildon and Billericay is seen as a safe Conservative seat, with Mr Baron winning a majority of 20,412 over his nearest Labour opponent in 2010.

Andrew Baggott, group leader on Basildon Council, said: "They have given no choice of candidate to the association, no choice of candidate to the membership. They have shown complete disrespect and arrogance to all the party volunteers, all the party members, hardworking Conservatives in this borough. They are shameful."

He added: "They are lacking in integrity, honour, and these are the things that the public looks for in the people they want to run this country."

The Conservative councillor said association members were "exploring" options to fight the decision.

A meeting of the Basildon Conservative Association's executive council was held last night to discuss next steps.

Mr Baggott added: "Of course we are running out of time, because the nominations have to be in by 4pm on Friday. We have to organise people. It is deliberately being left to the last minute to prevent any action being able to be taken."

He also said he would not be campaigning for Mr Holden, explaining: “I will be campaigning for Stephen Metcalfe in the neighbouring authority. I will be campaigning for Mark Francois. I will not be campaigning for somebody that is being imposed upon us."

Richard Moore, chairman of the local association, said Mr Holden's candidacy was "a complete surprise" to local members.

He suggested the Conservative Party's central office had "stacked everything against us" in how the selection was handled.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: "We do not comment on selections."