UK election 2019: Nigel Farage stands down hundreds of candidates

Nigel Farage will withdraw his Brexit Party from hundreds of Conservative party-held seats.

Nigel Farage has withdrawn candidates from hundreds of Tory held seats. Picture: Getty Images.

Nigel Farage has given Boris Johnson a major boost after agreeing to withdraw his Brexit Party from contesting Conservative party-held seats, so as not to split the Brexit vote and inadvertently boost Labour’s election chances at the December 12 general election.

In a dramatic decision that could have a significant bearing on the election result, Mr Farage said: “We are putting country before party to ensure that this general election will not result in a hung parliament and a second referendum.’’

Within seconds of the announcement early Tuesday AEST the pound spiked to a six month high.

The Prime Minister said the decision was recognition “that there’s only one way to get Brexit done, and that’s to vote for the Conservatives”.

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The Brexit Party said it won’t stand candidates in any of the 317 seats won by the Tories at the last election. But it will continue to stand in the 243 Labour-held seats and the 35 Scottish National Party seats, which could pull votes away from the Tories.

Conversely, the Brexit party could also pick up some support from traditional Labour voters in Leaver seats who are frustrated with Jeremy Corbyn’s noncommittal Brexit position. The British general election is conducted under first past the post rules.

Boris Johnson campaigns in Wolverhampton. Nigel Farage’s decision has given him a major boost. Picture: Getty Images.

Speaking in Hartlepool, Mr Farage said Mr Johnson’s video message on Sunday had shown a “big shift of position” not to extend any Brexit transition period beyond December 2020.

Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde, John Curtice told the BBC: “We perhaps should not exaggerate how important this is. It is the Liberal Democrat/Conservative contests where the Tories might be helped out. But in the crucial Conservative/Labour ones, so far at least, Mr Farage is not offering the Conservatives any direct help.’’

Professor Curtice added that the Farage decision could negate any benefit of the Remain alliance that was formed last week in a non-aggression pact between the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and Plaid Cymru.

“(Because of the) remain alliance, the Liberal Democrats might have helped themselves to pick up another half dozen seats. Those seats may have gone as a result of today’s decision," he said.

Other analysts believe Mr Farage’s move could help the Tories in up to 35 Leave seats where the Tories hold a slim majority.

Tory party chairman James Cleverly said there was still a real danger the Brexit Party could be influential in some Tory-targeted seats and bring about the election of some politicians determined to frustrate the Brexit process. So far there has not been any suggestion that the Tories will respond with any kind of non-aggression pact and withdraw candidates in seats being targeted by the Brexit Party.

Mr Corbyn said the Brexit Party decision was “Thatcherism on steroids’’ and emphasised his belief a Tory Brexit deal would result in a trade sell off of part of the National Health Service to American companies.

Mr Corbyn tweeted: “One week ago Donald Trump told Nigel Farage to make a pact with Boris Johnson. Today, Trump got his wish. This Trump alliance is Thatcherism on steroids and could send £500 million a week from our NHS to big drugs companies. It must be stopped.’’

Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price said the Farage decision means that a crash out Brexit is an inevitability in the eye of the Brexiteers.

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swanson said: “The Conservative Party are the Brexit Party now.’’