Humiliation For Badenoch As Farage Rejects Tory-Reform Council Coalitions

Kemi Badenoch has been humiliated after Nigel Farage rejected her suggestion that the Tories could go into coalition with Reform UK in local councils.

The Conservative leader said she had given the green light for her councillors to do deals with other parties after the local elections on May 1.

She told the BBC: “I’ve seen Conservatives go into coalition with Labour, with Liberal Democrats, with Independents.

“You don’t get to have a rerun of an election at local level, so what I’m telling local leaders across the country [is] they have to do what is right for the people in their local area.”

But that idea was quickly rejected by Reform leader Farage, who said: “The Tories broke Britain nationally for 14 years, and their councils continue to break local communities with the highest taxes ever and worst services.

“Reform have no intention in forming coalitions with the Tories at any level.

“We encourage everyone who wants real change to vote Reform on May 1.”

Labour chairwoman Ellie Reeves said: “Now it’s crystal clear: if you vote Reform or Conservative, you’re opening the door to more of the Tory chaos that held our country back over the past 14 years.

“Kemi Badenoch and her Conservative Party left our NHS at breaking point and Nigel Farage wants to make patients pay for healthcare when they’re sick. Just imagine what they’d do together.

“Only this Labour government has a plan for change that is turning our country around, delivering security for working people and renewal for our country.”

Liberal Democrats deputy leader Daisy Cooper said the Tories and Reform had “merged in all but name” under Badenoch’s leadership.

She added: “You couldn’t put a cigarette paper between Badenoch and Farage when it comes to their policies. It’s clear the Conservatives have totally abandoned the centre ground.”