Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has outpolled the Tories (Image: Getty)
Senior Conservatives are calling for Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage to strike a deal to save the country “we all love” from another half-decade of Labour in power.
Tories who are desperate to oust Sir Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves want the Conservatives and Reform UK to reach an agreement and stop the centre-Right vote splitting at the next election.
There are even calls for the Tory and Reform activists to start working together in the May local elections.
Lord Mackinlay – a former Conservative MP who was also deputy leader of UK – urged the parties to agree a deal to avoid the harm he believes would be caused by a decade of Labour in power.
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He said: “I have said repeatedly that the danger to our country of an ongoing, and heaven forbid, re-elected socialist government is so great that it is the duty of Parties of the right to do whatever is necessary to stop them. The inescapable conclusion is that Conservatives and Reform need to work together to stop the ongoing damage to the country we all love.”
The peer warned that decisions in Westminster can “permanently damage a nation” and pushed for “serious discussions” before the next election.
The calls to avoid splintering of the Right-wing vote and letting Labour win power again come just days after the Bank of England halved the growth forecast for this year to just 0.75% and warned of a hike in inflation.
Conservative MP Peter Bedford said: “As Conservatives we should be pragmatic and ensure that all options that maximise the chance of removing this hard-left socialist Government remain open.”
A former Tory minister warned: “You can’t have two parties competing on the Right of politics because inevitably that will help Labour to win.”
He fears that if Reform stands across the country Labour will be able to “creep” back into power with an even smaller share of the vote than the 34% they won in the summer election.
Alarm at the rise of Reform has intensified in both Conservative and Labour circles after a series of polls showed it is the most popular party. A Find Out Now poll put Reform on 29% – four points ahead of Labour and 11 points in front of the Tories.
Former Business Secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has said a Tory-Reform pact would be “devastating for the socialists” and could pave the way for a “truly Conservative coalition”. He wants activists to cooperate ahead of May’s local elections.
He told the Sunday Express: “I would support informal local election pacts between the Conservatives and Reform. It would help to build up trust and show the public how much common ground there is between us.”
A high-profile Conservative who has been at the heart of power machinations in the party said: “I think we should keep channels open and see how things develop.”
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman also wants to “unite the Right”, recently warning “there isn’t space in British politics for two conservative parties”.
And a Tory peer said: “I certainly believe we need a Tory-Reform pact at parliamentary level.”
David Campbell Bannerman, a former deputy leader of Ukip who now chairs the Conservative Democratic Organisation, suggested there could be agreements at a “local level” which would see one candidate make way for another if they signed up to a “common mission and policy stance”.
But a spokesman for Tory leader Mrs Badenoch said “reports of a Tory-Reform pact are complete and utter nonsense,” adding: “The Conservative Party will not negotiate with people who want to destroy us.”
However, a former Conservative cabinet minister welcomed the impact Reform has already had on Mrs Badenoch’s party, suggesting that new policy of denying migrants who have claimed benefits the right to settle in the UK through the indefinite leave to remain process was in response to pressure from the rival grouping.
He said: “I think that Reform has got to keep up the pressure on the Tories. If they don’t, we won’t see any sensible policy development from Kemi.
“[The announcement on indefinite leave to remain] was a step in the right direction, but it was pretty faltering. If the Conservatives don’t start seeing council seats going in Reform’s direction, they won’t change.
“I’m afraid that they still think that they have a God-given privilege to be the standard-bearer for the Right in this country. That delusion will start to evaporate when they see seats haemorrhaging away from them.”
The impact that Reform can have on a race was demonstrated in Rother Valley at the last election. Incumbent Conservative candidate Alexander Stafford lost to Labour won by just 998 votes – with Reform taking 7,679 votes and finishing third.
Mr Stafford said: “I don’t think we need any official deal with Reform, but I think it’s madness in places where Reform will never win or came a distant place behind the Tories for them to stand and split the vote. The important thing is to not split the vote to stop Labour getting back in.”
Former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries warned that any attempt to bring Reform and the Tories together would split the Tories.
She said: “Almost half of Conservative MPs aren’t actually Conservatives or even know or understand the principles of Conservatism and would be more comfortable as Lib-Dems. They would recoil at the prospect of being aligned to Reform and being identified with Right-wing social, free market or economic policies.
“If the prospect of a pact or a merger were proposed by either Badenoch or Farage, the Conservative party would undoubtedly split. It is almost ungovernable with the present MP demographic.
“Therefore, the chances of any kind of pre-election pact are almost certainly zero.”
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp predicted the Tories will be able to win without Reform, saying: “make a strong enough case to win the next general election” but warned that if “Conservative-minded” vote Reform “it simply hands victory to Labour and we saw that last July in dozens and dozens of seats across the country”.
Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe showed no enthusiasm when asked about the potential for a Tory-Reform link-up.
He pointed to how then-Brexit Party leader Mr Farage stood down candidates in Tory-held seats in 2019, helping pave the way for Mr Johnson’s landslide win.
He said: “Nigel stood down in all the Tory seats last time and gave Boris an 80 seat majority. Tell me what he did with it…
“He didn’t even do Brexit well. We had the Northern Ireland protocol so we got most of Britain out but we left a leg in the wretched socialist empire in Europe.”
Brendan Clarke-Smith, a former Conservative MP who lost his Bassetlaw seat to Labour by 5,768 votes with Reform taking 9,751, said: “I found out to my peril that having two parties on the right simply splits the vote and helps let Labour in. But I didn’t lose my seat because Reform stood against me. I lost my seat because Conservatives were angry and stayed at home.
“Labour won despite performing poorly and there is now even less appetite for them.”
The Conservative historian Lord Roberts backed the Tory leader’s position, saying: “Kemi Badenoch is quite right not to make any overt pact with Reform, which wishes to replace and destroy us.”
Tories Call for Pact With Reform to Save UK From Starmer and Reeves
Calls for the Conservatives and Reform UK to work together have intensified, exposing a growing disagreement on the British right over whether cooperation is necessary to challenge Labour or whether the two parties must remain independent competitors.
Former Conservative MP Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has called for a closer relationship between the parties, arguing that they should find common ground on policy and avoid unnecessarily dividing voters who share similar priorities. His intervention comes as Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch seeks to rebuild her party following its defeat in the 2024 general election.
The debate has become more significant as Reform leader Nigel Farage has indicated that he would not rule out a post-election agreement with the Conservatives. However, Badenoch has rejected the prospect of a formal alliance, insisting that her party must offer a distinct political alternative.
The disagreement raises a fundamental question for Britain’s opposition parties: should they cooperate to challenge Labour, or should each seek to win support independently?
Why Some Conservatives Want a Deal
The argument for closer cooperation is rooted in the changing structure of British politics.
For many years, the Conservatives and Labour dominated national elections. Reform’s rise has complicated that pattern by attracting voters who are dissatisfied with the established parties, particularly on immigration, taxation, public spending and the consequences of Brexit.
Some Conservative figures believe that competition between Reform and the Tories could allow Labour to benefit when voters with similar political priorities divide their support between different candidates.
Under Britain’s first-past-the-post electoral system, a candidate does not need to win a majority of all votes cast to secure a constituency. A party can therefore lose a seat even when the combined vote for parties with broadly similar positions exceeds that of its main opponent.
Supporters of a pact argue that an agreement over candidates or a shared policy programme could reduce this problem in closely contested seats.
Rees-Mogg has been among those advocating a closer relationship. In October 2026, he called for the Conservatives and Reform to unite more closely and urged Badenoch to make firmer policy commitments, including on inheritance tax. <Cite refs={[“turn176325search3”]} />
But the argument is not simply mathematical. Any agreement would require the parties to reconcile different approaches to leadership, economic policy, immigration and their respective political identities.
Badenoch’s Rejection of a Formal Alliance
Badenoch has made clear that she does not want the Conservatives to enter a pact with Farage before the next general election.
At the Conservative Party conference in October, she argued that Reform represented a different political direction and rejected calls to unite the right. She has also warned Conservative MPs against defecting to Reform, saying that politicians who leave her party should not expect to return. <Cite refs={[“turn176325search2″,”turn176325search4”]} />
Her position reflects an attempt to rebuild the Conservatives as an independent political force rather than allowing Reform to dictate the terms of the debate.
There are also practical considerations. A formal alliance could require Conservative candidates to stand aside in some constituencies or accept arrangements that might frustrate local party members. Such a move could weaken the party’s ability to establish its own identity and make it harder to persuade former supporters that it has changed since the 2024 election.
Badenoch has instead sought to distinguish the Conservatives through a programme focused on economic growth, tax policy, immigration control and the role of the state.
Her approach carries its own risks. If Reform continues to attract voters who previously supported the Conservatives, the two parties could compete directly in constituencies where neither has a secure majority.
Farage Leaves the Door Open
Farage’s position has been more flexible, although he has also played down the likelihood of a formal pact before the next election.
On 8 October 2026, he told the Press Association that a pre-election agreement was “extremely unlikely”, but declined to rule out cooperation after an election. His comments followed Badenoch’s rejection of an alliance at the Conservative conference. <Cite refs={[“turn176325search0″,”turn176325search1”]} />
The distinction is important. A pre-election pact would involve coordinating campaigns or candidates before voters go to the polls. A post-election agreement would depend on the parliamentary arithmetic and negotiations that followed the result.
If an election produced a hung Parliament, parties could face decisions about whether to support a minority government, negotiate a confidence-and-supply arrangement or pursue a more formal coalition. Any such arrangement would require agreement on specific policies and governing responsibilities.
Farage’s remarks leave that possibility open without committing Reform to a deal.
They also place pressure on the Conservatives to consider how they would respond if neither party could govern alone. Badenoch, however, has said she would prefer another election to entering a coalition with Reform in a hung Parliament. <Cite refs={[“turn176325search5”]} />
Immigration Would Be a Central Issue
Immigration is one of the most prominent areas in which Reform and the Conservatives compete for support.
Reform has advocated tougher measures against unauthorised Channel crossings, including its proposed Operation Fortress, which would use naval interception and returns to France. The Conservatives have also promised stricter border enforcement and changes to the asylum system, although the parties differ in their approaches and presentation.
Supporters of cooperation argue that the parties could agree on a common programme to reduce irregular migration and speed up the removal of people who have no right to remain in Britain.
But implementation would raise complex legal and diplomatic questions. Returning people to France would require workable arrangements with the French government and compliance with applicable legal obligations. Changes to asylum procedures would also need to address the rights of vulnerable people and the practical requirements of processing claims.
A shared headline commitment would not automatically resolve those issues. Any agreement would need to specify the measures involved, their costs and how success would be measured.
Rachel Reeves and the Economic Debate
Economic policy is another major source of political disagreement.
Conservatives and Reform have criticised Labour over taxation, business costs, economic growth and public spending. Both parties have argued that the government must do more to improve the environment for businesses and households.
However, their proposals are not identical. Differences over spending commitments, tax reductions, public services and how policies would be funded could become obstacles to a formal agreement.
A pact would require more than a shared desire to defeat Labour. The parties would need to establish which policies they could jointly support and which differences they would leave unresolved.
They would also need to explain the financial implications of their commitments. Tax reductions and spending promises can be attractive to voters, but their credibility depends on the assumptions behind the calculations and whether the proposed savings or additional revenue can be delivered.
For Labour, the dispute between its opponents provides an opportunity to argue that they lack a coherent alternative. For the Conservatives and Reform, the challenge is to show that their economic programmes could be implemented rather than merely presented as campaign pledges.
Could a Pact Change the Electoral Picture?
A coordinated strategy could affect the way votes are distributed in individual constituencies, but it would not guarantee that the Conservatives and Reform would win more seats collectively.
Some voters might welcome cooperation between the parties. Others could be alienated by a deal and choose to support Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens or independent candidates instead.
Candidate selection would also matter. Local party members might resist being asked to support a candidate from a rival organisation, while voters could respond differently depending on the individual standing for election.
There is an additional question about whether Reform would accept a partnership on terms that preserve the Conservatives’ influence. Farage has built his political profile partly through opposition to the established parties, and an agreement could create tensions over who would set the agenda.
For Badenoch, a pact could risk making the Conservatives appear subordinate to Reform. Rejecting one, however, could leave the parties competing against each other in seats where cooperation might otherwise have been possible.
The consequences would depend on the terms of any agreement, the level of public support for it and the results of individual constituencies.
The Political Choice Facing the Right
The debate over a pact reveals two competing strategies.
One approach prioritises cooperation, arguing that parties with overlapping priorities should seek common ground to avoid dividing their vote. The other prioritises independence, arguing that each party needs to establish its own identity, policy programme and relationship with voters.
Neither approach guarantees electoral success. Cooperation can reduce competition between candidates but may alienate supporters or create difficult compromises. Independence allows parties to present distinct programmes but can leave them competing for the same voters.
The disagreement also reflects a broader question about the future of British conservatism: whether the Conservatives can recover support by rebuilding their own identity or whether Reform’s growing influence will reshape the political landscape.
What Happens Next?
For now, there is no confirmed formal pact between the Conservatives and Reform UK. Badenoch has rejected an alliance, while Farage has left open the possibility of a post-election agreement.
The debate is likely to continue as both parties refine their policies and attempt to persuade voters that they offer a credible alternative to Labour.
Any eventual agreement would need to address much more than the desire to remove the current government. It would require a clear programme for immigration, taxation, economic growth, public services and the UK’s international relationships, as well as an explanation of how the proposals would be financed and implemented.
The central issue is therefore not simply whether the Conservatives and Reform can cooperate. It is whether they can reconcile their competing ambitions and policy differences without losing the support that each has worked to build.
For voters, the most useful measure will be the substance of the policies on offer, the credibility of the funding plans and the extent to which each party explains how its proposals would affect households, businesses and public services.
The calls for a pact show that the relationship between the Conservatives and Reform remains unresolved. Whether that eventually leads to cooperation or continued competition will depend on political decisions that have yet to be made.