Nigel Farage handed dire warning by Brexiteer not to repeat ‘huge mistake’ of 2019

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has been urged to resist the temptation to do a deal with the Conservatives in the wake of their general election drubbing, with Brexiteer Ben Habib branding the GB News host’s decision to stand aside for Boris Johnson five years ago as a “huge mistake”.

And the former Reform UK deputy leader stressed his belief that the fledgling outfit, which won five seats, was “on the verge of changing politics for good” - in contrast to the Tories, whom he sees as a “sinking ship”.

Mr Farage returned to frontline politics as Reform candidate for Clacton - a seat he subsequently won - and was simultaneously installed as the party’s leader, replacing Richard Tice.

Property developer Ben Habib was until recently Reform’s deputy leader, and made it clear he was none-too-happy when he was replaced in the post by Mr Tice, himself the new MP for Boston and Skegness.

However, Mr Habib remains a member, and in an op-ed exclusively written for Express.co.uk explained his motivation for joining the party in the first place as “obliterating the Conservative Party”.

Referring to lead up to the 2019 general election, which saw Mr Johnson emerge with an 80-seat majority, he continued: “In its previous incarnation, the Brexit Party had stood down against the Tories in the 2019 general election.

“That was a huge mistake. Johnson did not deliver Brexit. He carved up the UK, tied us into Brussels’ laws, threw our fishing industry under a bus, went full tilt for Net Zero madness and threw open our borders to all and sundry.

“His administration delivered the UK to the precipice of disaster.”

Fast-forward five years and the landscape was very different, Mr Habib stressed.

He said: “Richard Tice, who was then leader, and I agreed there would be no standing down against the Tories and no deals. Our success in the general election was significantly because we were not seen as Tory wannabes.

“The Tory party is lost. Even now there may be a temptation for Reform to seek a deal with the Tories. In one move Nigel Farage could become leader of a joint party and command 130 MPs. Any such temptation must be resisted.

“Such a backroom deal was not what our 4.1 million voters voted for. They do not want a stitch up. They require us to stay true to our principles.”

Reform’s voters had trusted its promise “to deliver a proud, independent, sovereign and prosperous United Kingdom”, Mr Habib stressed.

He continued: “Yes, the Tories have over 120 MPs but they are wounded, probably fatally.

“Their support base is evaporating, as is, crucially, their money. Members and donors are deserting the Tory party.

“We must not get on that sinking ship.

“Reform UK is on the verge of making British political history. It is on the verge of changing politics for good.”