Tories plead with Reform UK not to ‘punish the country’ by splitting the right-wing vote and helping Keir Starmer into No10 at next election 

• Richard Tice has ruled out a pact with the Conservatives at the next election  

Tories pleaded with Reform UK today not to ‘punish the country’ by helping Keir Starmer into power at the next election.

Conservative vice-chairman Lee Anderson warned that Richard Tice’s outfit is ‘basically working for a Labour government’ by splitting the right-wing vote.

The blunt comments came after Reform’s vote at the Mid Beds and Tamworth by-elections was higher than the Labour majority – suggesting the Tories could have clung on if it had not fielded a candidate. 

However, Mr Tice has flatly dismissed the idea of an alliance, insisting the Conservatives ‘deserve to be kicked out’.   

Formerly led by Nigel Farage, Reform has already vowed to field candidates in 630 seats at next year’s general election – potentially posing a dire threat to the Tories.

Reform UK leader Richard Tice has dismissed the possibility of forming a pact with the Conservatives

Mr Anderson told the Sun on Sunday: ‘Reform UK and their leader Richard Tice are basically working for a Labour government.

‘He wants to punish us but he will punish the country.’

Reform UK party leader Richard Tice has slammed the door shut on any pact to save the Tories at the next general election.

Mr Tice told The Mail on Sunday: ‘They can offer me five million quid and a peerage, and the answer is still ‘No!’ The Tories broke their contract with the British people and they have to be kicked out.’

But Mr Tice dismissed any suggestion that his party would simply pave the way to Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour becoming the next government. 

He said: ‘To anyone who says that Reform will just be letting in Labour, I say there’s no difference between the two of them. 

‘The Tories and Labour are two forms of socialism: high tax, high regulation, low growth and pro net zero. It’s all a catastrophe for the country.’

After the by-election results on Friday, Mr Tice taunted the Tories about how his party had cost them their victory. 

Writing on X, he said this was ‘despite huge squeeze/pressure from Tories to voters, saying do not vote Reform’.

But Alexander Stafford, Tory MP for Rother Valley, said: ‘It is nonsense to suggest that Tories and Labour are the same. 

‘A re-elected Tory government will complete Brexit after the general election. Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour would wreck it.’

Despite taunting that his party had cost the Tories by-election results in Tamworth (pictured) and Mid-Bedfordshire, Mr Tice insisted his party would not just let Labour into power

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