The Conservative Party should let Reform UK win the Runcorn by-election next month as part of an “electoral pact” between the two parties, a senior Tory MP has said.
As the Conservatives continue to lag behind in the polls, former Cabinet minister Esther McVey appeared to defy party leader Kemi Badenoch and advocate an alliance with Nigel Farage’s party.
It comes just weeks ahead of the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, which will see both Reform and the Conservatives attempt to overturn Labour’s 15,000 vote majority in the safe seat. The area has been held by Labour for more than 40 years.
Ms McVey said the by-election was a chance for the Tories to let Reform pick up a victory, with the expectation they would then allow the Tories to do the same elsewhere.
Reform, the Conservatives and Labour are currently neck-and-neck in national polling, meaning that a pact between two parties could shift the vote significantly.
A leaked recording – seen by the Telegraph – reportedly captured Ms McVey telling the Conservatives’ True Blue Patrons Dinner: “I’m a pragmatist, and I think Conservatives are pragmatists, and when we get to the general election, would I be making, looking at an electoral pact [with Reform]? Absolutely I would.
“We don’t want two right-wing parties cutting our own throats and Labour getting in, which could happen. So we do have to be pragmatic.
“And Phil [Davies] is spot on, I know Nigel [Farage], I know Richard Tice, I know Lee [Anderson], I mean, I know them all very, very well indeed. And I’d sooner say to them, there’s a couple of seats you can get there, that we came a very distant fourth, and you came second. We’ll stay out the way. I want you to win it. And they can do the same for us.”
Asked whether it was a good idea to enter an electoral pact with Reform, the former Cabinet minister referenced the May 1 by-election.
“What you want to do is, like I said, where Ukip came second and we were a very, very distant fourth, like in Runcorn, like where Mike Amesbury punched his constituent. You’d probably say there, ‘Let Reform win that seat’ because you might need them in the southwest, [so] that we win a seat”, she said.
But the Conservatives shut down Ms McVey’s remarks, with a spokesperson telling The Independent: “Nigel Farage can’t even manage 5 MPs and is more interested in massaging his own ego than providing effective opposition to this dreadful Labour government. He’ll always put self-interest over the national interest.
“Under new leadership, the Conservatives are doing the serious work of opposition and will always put our national interest first. Only a vote for the Conservatives on 1st May will deliver better services and lower taxes.”
Mrs Badenoch has repeatedly ruled out an electoral pact with Reform UK, saying such a move would drive away Tory voters who did not want to see her “get into bed” with Nigel Farage.
The by-election was called after ex-Labour MP Mike Amesbury resigned after being convicted of assault for punching a constituent.
Polling conducted by Lord Ashcroft, which surveyed a representative sample of 702 adults in the Runcorn and Helsby constituency between March 3 and March 12, predicted that Reform would win 42 per cent of the vote. Meanwhile, Labour is predicted to finish second on 33 per cent of the vote, while the Conservatives are predicted to come third on 11 per cent.
Reform UK and Esther McVey have been contacted for comment.
Starmer targets Reform as Labour kicks off local election campaign
Dodds: No action taken over social media’s influence on Southport riots
MP: Charities supporting gambling addicts at risk of closure without funding
Legacy body carrying out 50 investigations into 96 deaths
UK threatens to retaliate to Trump’s tariffs and draws up hitlist of US goods to tax
Trump tells UK to buy chlorinated chicken from US if it wants tariff relief
