Rishi Sunak hints Nigel Farage COULD be allowed to rejoin the Tories because the party is a ‘broad church’ as the Brexit champion is feted by activists at conference and dances with Priti Patel… with MPs saying he would ‘easily win’ a leadership contest
- They duetted on Frank Sinatra’s I Love You Baby, hours after he backed Liz Truss
Rishi Sunak appeared to open the door for a Tory comeback by Nigel Farage today after he was feted by activists at conference.
The PM insisted the party is a ‘broad church’ and welcomed anyone who shares ‘our values’ when quizzed on the Brexit champion rejoining.
But the ex-MEP quickly poured cold water on the idea, condemning the Conservatives for hiking taxes and failing to tackle immigration.
Mr Farage is at the conference for the first time in a decade – albeit on a media pass in his capacity as a GB News commentator – 30 years after he quit in protest at the Maastricht Treaty.
He has been given a rapturous reception by the Tory faithful, and was filmed dancing energetically with Priti Patel to Frankie Valli’s Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.
The warmth of members towards Mr Farage has been noted by senior Conservatives, who compared his star quality to that of Boris Johnson.
A former Cabinet minister told MailOnline he would ‘easily win a Tory leadership election if he made it to the membership’.
Asked during broadcast interviews today whether Mr Farage would be allowed back into the fold, Mr Sunak said: ‘Look, the Tory party is a broad church.
‘I welcome lots of people who want to subscribe to our ideals, to our values.’
Pressed whether that extended to Mr Farage, the PM said: ‘Look the thing I care about is delivering for the country and the more people as we’ve seen at this conference – we’ve had record attendance I think at this conference. Lots of energy, lots of engagement.’
The grinning former home secretary and the ex-Brexit Party leader duetted on Frank Sinatra’s I Love You Baby, hours after he had given visible and vocal support to Liz Truss ‘s attack on Rishi Sunak’s leadership
It is his first attendance for a decade and it prompted calls from some Tory MPs for him to rejoin the party 30 years after he quit over support for the Maastricht Treaty
Rishi Sunak (pictured touring conference stands today) appeared to open the door for a comeback by the Brexit champion as he insisted the party is a ‘broad church’ and welcomed anyone who shared ‘our values’.
But asked about Mr Sunak’s comments, Mr Farage said: ‘Would I want to join a party that’s put the tax rate up to the highest in over 70 years, that has allowed net migration to run at over half a million a year, that has not used Brexit to deregulate to help small businesses?
‘No, no and no.’
He added: ‘I achieved a lot more outside of the Tory party than I ever could have done from within it.’
Despite Mr Sunak’s apparent openness to a return for Mr Farage, Tory chairman Greg Hands gave the idea short shrift.
‘No, I don’t think I would because I think he’s repeatedly for the last 30 years or more advocated voting for other political parties,’ he said.
‘I think he said he doesn’t want to see the Conservative Party succeed so I don’t think I would.’
A former Cabinet minister told MailOnline that the premier would ‘never’ let him on the list of approved MP candidates.
‘He would be a dominant figure and he couldn’t toe the line,’ they said.
‘He would be like the scorpion crossing the river on the back of the fox – he would sting you because that’s what he does.
‘We should probably adopt the policies but not the man.’
Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant told GB News: ‘I think we should get on our hands and knees and beg him [to rejoin], we should award him with a knighthood that he should have had years ago.’
Tim Montgomerie, a former speechwriter for William Hague who is now a columnist, tweeted: ‘I into Conference earlier with Nigel Farage. He got quite the reception. I’m convinced party members would choose him as leader if they could.’
Mr Farage and the former Cabinet minister were the life and soul of the party organised by GB News at the Hilton Hotel.
The former Brexit Party leader had been front and centre at a rally led by the ex-prime minister at the Conservative Party conference yesterday.
Ms Truss used the Great British Growth Rally to demand tax cuts, cuts to household bills and a surge in housebuilding to kickstart an economic revival.
Afterwards Mr Farage, who wore a pair of Union Jack socks, said he agreed with her ideas ‘100 per cent’ and that her disastrous mini-Budget last year ‘played all the right notes, just in the wrong order’, a reference to a 1970s Morecambe and Wise gag.
‘I think what they did to her was a huge, huge mistake,’ he told the Daily Telegraph. ‘It’s policy that interests me. I think this woman has shown that she’s able to stand up, take the abuse and fight for what she believes in.’
Mr Farage, who was mobbed by fans when he arrived at the Manchester convention centre hosting the Tories, also refused to rule out a return to politics himself.
The former Brexit Party leader was front and centre at a rally led by the ex-prime minister at the Conservative Party conference today, as he made his first appearance at the event in a decade
Mr Farage, who was mobbed by fans when he arrived at the Manchester convention centre hosting the Tories, also refused to rule out a return to politics himself.
He has previously spoken at fringe events, including a 2013 speech to the Eurosceptic Bruges Group.
But he came inside the secure zone reserved for paying party members, activists and business leaders to attend the Liz Truss event alongside Dame Priti and Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg.
Mr Farage tweeted: ‘A huge buzz at the Great British Growth rally starring Liz Truss. I think she’s going to need a bigger room!’
There were cheers in the room when party members were reminded how Liz Truss was elected by them – unlike Rishi Sunak.
Ms Truss, appearing on stage smiling and to loud applause, called on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to cut corporation tax in next month’s autumn statement – something he is resisting doing.
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