NIGEL Farage has named his price to make an election pact with Boris Johnson – a No Deal Brexit.
The Brexit Party is ready to stand with the Prime Minister, Mr Farage told Mr Johnson last night, but only if the current deal is abandoned.
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The party leader told The Times they are “ready to go” if a snap election is called before October 31.
Candidates are primed and ready to fight for every seat across the UK, he claimed, with the possibility of a non-aggression pact on the table with the Tories.
However, Nigel Farage indicated the two parties would only team up if the EU withdrawal agreement drawn up under Theresa May was scrapped.
He said that only either a completely new deal with Brussels would be acceptable, or a No Deal Brexit.
Mr Farage said: “If Boris Johnson thinks that the withdrawal agreement can stand then we don’t.
“At the moment he is suggesting no change at all to the withdrawal agreement other than the Irish backstop. This is not acceptable.”
The vote – to be held later today – will trigger an election after Mr Johnson vowed to hold one if he didn’t succeed in beating off the Remainers’ challenge.
The Sun revealed yesterday, the PM now believes he needs a fresh mandate from voters to prise a new deal from EU leaders if he loses to Tory rebels.
In a clear threat to rebel MPs, the PM last night warned he would never go to Brussels and ask for Jeremy Corbyn’s “pointless” extension.
‘READY TO GO’
This would leave him with no option but to go for a general election if enough Tory MPs side with the rebel plan this week.
“There are no circumstances in which I will ask Brussels to delay,” he told the nation in an address on the steps of Downing Street on Monday night.
“We are leaving on October 31, no ifs or buts. We will not accept any attempt to go back on our promises.
“I believe we will get a deal at that crucial summit in October. Let’s get Brexit done.”
But Mr Farage said today he did not trust Mr Johnson to take Britain out of the European Union without a deal and would struggle to strike an electoral pact with him.
Adding: “Of course if Boris Johnson says we’re leaving, we’re going to have a clean break… then we, the Brexit Party, would put country before party and tell Mr Johnson that we want to help you in any way we can.
“But I’m afraid that’s not what the prime minister wants to do and that was made very clear by his statement outside Downing Street last night. He is intent on reheating Mrs May’s Withdrawal Agreement.”
REBEL REBEL
As rebels start to band together against him, ex-Chancellor Philip Hammond said there are enough against his plans to win a vote to stop No Deal and trigger an election today.
Mr Farage told The Sun yesterday afternoon: “The only way to ensure a clean break Brexit is to hold an election – drop the deal Boris.”
On LBC Radio he added: “The big message here is Boris Johnson wants the withdrawal agreement. He wants Mrs May’s withdrawal agreement, but minus the backstop.
“And if he does get voted down in the House of Commons tomorrow, which I have to say, looking at the Tory rebels who are beginning to stand up, does look quite likely to me, then there will be a general election.
“Do I think it is acceptable that a general election could be held on the basis that he goes back to Brussels to get the withdrawal agreement?
“Well I absolutely don’t. Given there is less than 60 days to go to that right now, no-deal is the best deal.”
Since entering Number 10, he’s vowed to take Britain out of the EU by October 31, no matter what it takes.
Last night Boris threatened to boot Tory MPs out of the party if they vote for a new law to stop No Deal this week – but they are set to ignore him and do it anyway.
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