Nigel Farage would be welcome in the Conservative Party, Rishi Sunak suggested after the former Ukip leader attended the Tory conference in Manchester.
The Prime Minister said the Tories were a “broad church” following surprise appearances by Mr Farage at a number of fringe events.
They included a black tie dinner hosted by the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO), founded by allies of Boris Johnson after his exit from Downing Street, and a rally on economic growth addressed by Liz Truss, Mr Sunak’s predecessor.
Mr Farage, who has campaigned against successive Tory governments on Brexit, climate policy and immigration levels, said he “100 per cent” supported Ms Truss’s calls for immediate tax cuts.
Mr Sunak, asked by GB News whether he would welcome Mr Farage back into the Conservative fold, replied: “The Tory Party is a very broad church.
“I welcome lots of people who want to subscribe to our values, and the thing I care about is delivering for the country and more people – as I’ve seen at this conference, we’ve got record attendance.”
While Mr Farage warmly welcomed Mr Sunak’s announcement last week that a number of net zero policies would be delayed or watered down, he described recent pro-motorist policies, including measures to scale back low-traffic neighbourhoods, as “half-hearted”.
“It’s all very reactive – he could have stopped the Ulez extension if he wanted to and fought Sadiq Khan at a judicial review, and he chose not to,” he told The Telegraph. “Even on the motoring stuff he’s still half-hearted.”
Claiming that Monday’s keynote speech by Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor, “went down like a lead balloon”, Mr Farage added: “The word I would use is absolutely dismal. These people want to believe in something. They want to believe in ideas, and that is why Liz Truss’s meeting was so exciting – it was about ideas.
“I think basically a Starmer implosion is their best hope, but I don’t see that really happening. I think what this conference is about is which wing of the party takes over after they lose the election. That’s what the fringe is all about.”
Suggesting that some Tory MPs were still working to undermine Brexit, Mr Farage said: “Basically, Leave versus Remain is still playing out within the Conservative Party.”
It looked as though Farage’s political career was all but over but he’s never tired of the limelight and if he actually got entry into the Tories I can see him angling for selection as a Parliamentary candidate immediately and as a leadership candidate within a year of entering the House of Commons.
Of course, what Sunak actually wants here is not Farage but Farage’s voters and the votes of all the Tories who still admire him. Farage was probably a bigger star at the Tory party conference than Sunak himself.
I imagine its more likely that Sunak is holding a carrot for the donkey and will have a laugh when Farage fails for the 8th time to become an MP.
Sunak needs more votes. Even if he joins, farage will splinter off and create more factions within the tories leading to more infighting.
Delightful.
Sunak, there. Saying he’d welcome with open arms a man who considers him a ‘Paki’.
This is how far the Tories have sunk. Let that just settle in. One of their biggest competitors on the right who they actively fought against during campaign seasons is now someone they want in their party because they know they’re got fuck all support.
Even as a full on socialist, I’m kind of impressed with Sunak for this. It’s the obvious ballsy move to retain power.
It’s clear the only thing stopping the Tories being re-elected, is people who don’t find them quite right-wing or extreme enough.
Unlike the left in the UK (most of which unfortunately is taken up by secretly-Tory neoliberals meaning Corbynism was never going to wash, sadly) the centre right and right will only be glad the mainstream has finally accepted the type of people and language they previously had to keep to themselves.
Yes, please, do bring it on……
Mr.Brexit toryboy Farage was always a fake ‘man of the people’.
His myth will be destroyed rapidly when he rejoins the tories.
What a snake – Farage was supposed to be an alternative to the Tories. To provide a more working-class option that would abolish the Lords, etc. and try to actually deliver on their changes.
While it’s not surprising that he has no principles and is happy to join them, it’s a shame that this will basically solidify Tory power for the next decade and stop them slipping into a minor party.
On the one hand Farage is your classic power hungry egotist, who would probably sell his remaining testicle to be in charge of everything.
On the other hes spent is entire career positioning himself as the outsider speaking against the man, should be become the man he won’t have any clue what to do. Like a dog that caught it’s tail, and much like how he’s bounced from one nonsense complaint to the other since brexit
The Tories are basically UKIP now so it makes sense.
When they lose the next election, the conservatives are going to split, the fight between the sensible, conservatives and the bat shit crazies will be amazing.
farage is a good figurehead, campaigner and spokesman – a bit like boris. im sure he’d bring their polling up a few points. be interesting to see what position they came up with for him tho. not sure if he’d be any good with a concrete job.
Farage can actually hold a good argument and a lot of people get taken in, including friends of mine who are by no means thick. But then you look at his actions and the company he keeps. This guy near the levers of power is a very scary prospect and I no longer trust the voting public to look beneath what he says. He will exploit the next crisis and the opposition party have done a terrible job of holding these people to account.
Going by the announcements at the conference I would assume, if I didn’t know better Farage is not only in the Conservative party but leading it by proxy.
Screw the North
War on motorists
Ditching green agenda
Dehumanising refugees/migrants
> Mr Sunak, asked by GB News whether he would welcome Mr Farage back into the Conservative fold, replied: “The Tory Party is a very broad church.
>
> “I welcome lots of people who want to subscribe to our values, and the thing I care about is delivering for the country and more people – as I’ve seen at this conference, we’ve got record attendance.”
Reading the actual quote it seems more like he’s just given a fairly bland statement. Rather than saying Farage would be welcome, as the headline suggests, he’s sidestepped the question.
Farage would probably be surprisingly popular in that circle, more so than Sunak. Known racist spearheading a party of racists in a country of racists, it’d work.
It almost feels like some sort of threat “back me or I bring him in”
17 comments
(Article)
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Nigel Farage would be welcome in the Conservative Party, Rishi Sunak suggested after the former Ukip leader attended the Tory conference in Manchester.
The Prime Minister said the Tories were a “broad church” following surprise appearances by Mr Farage at a number of fringe events.
They included a black tie dinner hosted by the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO), founded by allies of Boris Johnson after his exit from Downing Street, and a rally on economic growth addressed by Liz Truss, Mr Sunak’s predecessor.
Mr Farage, who has campaigned against successive Tory governments on Brexit, climate policy and immigration levels, said he “100 per cent” supported Ms Truss’s calls for immediate tax cuts.
Mr Sunak, asked by GB News whether he would welcome Mr Farage back into the Conservative fold, replied: “The Tory Party is a very broad church.
“I welcome lots of people who want to subscribe to our values, and the thing I care about is delivering for the country and more people – as I’ve seen at this conference, we’ve got record attendance.”
While Mr Farage warmly welcomed Mr Sunak’s announcement last week that a number of net zero policies would be delayed or watered down, he described recent pro-motorist policies, including measures to scale back low-traffic neighbourhoods, as “half-hearted”.
“It’s all very reactive – he could have stopped the Ulez extension if he wanted to and fought Sadiq Khan at a judicial review, and he chose not to,” he told The Telegraph. “Even on the motoring stuff he’s still half-hearted.”
Claiming that Monday’s keynote speech by Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor, “went down like a lead balloon”, Mr Farage added: “The word I would use is absolutely dismal. These people want to believe in something. They want to believe in ideas, and that is why Liz Truss’s meeting was so exciting – it was about ideas.
“I think basically a Starmer implosion is their best hope, but I don’t see that really happening. I think what this conference is about is which wing of the party takes over after they lose the election. That’s what the fringe is all about.”
Suggesting that some Tory MPs were still working to undermine Brexit, Mr Farage said: “Basically, Leave versus Remain is still playing out within the Conservative Party.”
It looked as though Farage’s political career was all but over but he’s never tired of the limelight and if he actually got entry into the Tories I can see him angling for selection as a Parliamentary candidate immediately and as a leadership candidate within a year of entering the House of Commons.
Of course, what Sunak actually wants here is not Farage but Farage’s voters and the votes of all the Tories who still admire him. Farage was probably a bigger star at the Tory party conference than Sunak himself.
I imagine its more likely that Sunak is holding a carrot for the donkey and will have a laugh when Farage fails for the 8th time to become an MP.
Sunak needs more votes. Even if he joins, farage will splinter off and create more factions within the tories leading to more infighting.
Delightful.
Sunak, there. Saying he’d welcome with open arms a man who considers him a ‘Paki’.
This is how far the Tories have sunk. Let that just settle in. One of their biggest competitors on the right who they actively fought against during campaign seasons is now someone they want in their party because they know they’re got fuck all support.
Even as a full on socialist, I’m kind of impressed with Sunak for this. It’s the obvious ballsy move to retain power.
It’s clear the only thing stopping the Tories being re-elected, is people who don’t find them quite right-wing or extreme enough.
Unlike the left in the UK (most of which unfortunately is taken up by secretly-Tory neoliberals meaning Corbynism was never going to wash, sadly) the centre right and right will only be glad the mainstream has finally accepted the type of people and language they previously had to keep to themselves.
Yes, please, do bring it on……
Mr.Brexit toryboy Farage was always a fake ‘man of the people’.
His myth will be destroyed rapidly when he rejoins the tories.
What a snake – Farage was supposed to be an alternative to the Tories. To provide a more working-class option that would abolish the Lords, etc. and try to actually deliver on their changes.
While it’s not surprising that he has no principles and is happy to join them, it’s a shame that this will basically solidify Tory power for the next decade and stop them slipping into a minor party.
On the one hand Farage is your classic power hungry egotist, who would probably sell his remaining testicle to be in charge of everything.
On the other hes spent is entire career positioning himself as the outsider speaking against the man, should be become the man he won’t have any clue what to do. Like a dog that caught it’s tail, and much like how he’s bounced from one nonsense complaint to the other since brexit
The Tories are basically UKIP now so it makes sense.
When they lose the next election, the conservatives are going to split, the fight between the sensible, conservatives and the bat shit crazies will be amazing.
farage is a good figurehead, campaigner and spokesman – a bit like boris. im sure he’d bring their polling up a few points. be interesting to see what position they came up with for him tho. not sure if he’d be any good with a concrete job.
Farage can actually hold a good argument and a lot of people get taken in, including friends of mine who are by no means thick. But then you look at his actions and the company he keeps. This guy near the levers of power is a very scary prospect and I no longer trust the voting public to look beneath what he says. He will exploit the next crisis and the opposition party have done a terrible job of holding these people to account.
Going by the announcements at the conference I would assume, if I didn’t know better Farage is not only in the Conservative party but leading it by proxy.
Screw the North
War on motorists
Ditching green agenda
Dehumanising refugees/migrants
> Mr Sunak, asked by GB News whether he would welcome Mr Farage back into the Conservative fold, replied: “The Tory Party is a very broad church.
>
> “I welcome lots of people who want to subscribe to our values, and the thing I care about is delivering for the country and more people – as I’ve seen at this conference, we’ve got record attendance.”
Reading the actual quote it seems more like he’s just given a fairly bland statement. Rather than saying Farage would be welcome, as the headline suggests, he’s sidestepped the question.
Farage would probably be surprisingly popular in that circle, more so than Sunak. Known racist spearheading a party of racists in a country of racists, it’d work.
It almost feels like some sort of threat “back me or I bring him in”
That caller that was “kicked in the head by a horse” still makes me chuckle
[^(Enjoy!)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRc0by2vZ7k)