Reform UK leader Richard Tice faced a series of questions on Wednesday over why Nigel Farage was not at a New Year launch event for the party.
The Westminster media had gathered in numbers at the central London venue amid speculation that Mr Farage could announce he is taking over at the helm of Reform UK which could give it a massive boost in the General Election year.
But Mr Farage was not present and Mr Tice had to field a series of questions over why he was not there, what role he might play for Reform UK and why it was taking him so much time to make up his mind.
Mr Tice said he was "very confident" Mr Farage will play a role for Reform UK as he eyes a return to frontline politics, but was unable to say how.
But he said that "the more help that Nigel is able to give in the election campaign, frankly, the better" after the Brexit campaigner's stint in the I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! jungle.
Mr Farage founded Reform UK in 2018 as the Brexit Party and currently serves as honorary president.As for a comeback to the political frontline, Mr Tice said: “He is still assessing that. As and when we have all collectively come to a decision we look forward letting everybody know.
“A good poker player doesn’t show their hand too early. Nigel is the master of political timing. The more help Nigel is able to give in the election campaign the better.”
But pressed on Mr Farage's plans, Mr Tice added: “We have been talking over the Christmas period,” he said. “He is giving a lot of thought to the extent of the role he wants play.”
Mr Farage may announce his decision at a Reform UK conference in February.
Mr Tice also said that Reform UK had ruled out entering into any electoral pacts with what he described as the "terrified" Tories as Rishi Sunak came under fresh pressure from his political opponents to call a General Election soon rather than wait until the autumn.
The Reform UK leader said he could be "absolutely categoric" there will be no deals despite the alleged pleading of some Conservatives.
Holding the press conference near Parliament, Mr Tice said the country wants to go to the polls "sooner rather than later" as voters want to "punish the Tories for breaking Britain".
"The truth is the Tories are terrified," he told an audience gathered at a plush hotel on Wednesday.
Mr Tice insisted he would stand candidates in every constituency, unlike in 2019 when his party, then the Brexit Party, stood down candidates to help Boris Johnson.
He declined to say how many Tory MPs or councillors he was talking to, insisting it was "quite a lot", and claimed many "disgruntled" Tory donors were also speaking to him.
Mr Tice attacked the Conservatives on taxation and record levels of immigration.
But he also turned his fire on Labour's economic vision, claiming it would be "Starmergeddon" under Sir Keir Starmer, whose party remains riding high in the polls.
Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson has claimed that Reform UK is a "bigger threat to the country" than Labour as he suggested his own seat was among those at risk from the party.
But the MP for Ashfield, in Nottinghamshire, said that Mr Farage was doing "fantastic things" and had to stand in the next election and become party leader for Reform to make inroads.
Mr Tice said: "Lee is very worried, he's terrified that we're going to basically put him out of the job.
"The honest truth is, there are quite a number of Tory MPs in a similar position - stop staying with the toxic Tories, stop defending the indefensible, be brave, be bold, come on over."
Reform UK also revealed that former MEP Ben Habib would contest the Wellingborough by-election for the party following the recall of scandal-hit MP Peter Bone.
Mr Bone held the Northamptonshire seat for the Tories in 2019 with 18,540 more votes than second placed Labour.
Reform is polling at around 10 per cent nationally and there are fears in the Conservatives that the outfit could dent their electoral chances.
As the Tories lag around 18 points behind Labour, Reform could make Mr Sunak's chances of winning narrower by splitting the Right-wing vote.
