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‘The centre really matters’: Tory leadership hopeful Mel Stride rules out merging with Nigel Farage and Reform UK
30 July 2024, 09:37
Mel Stride rules out merging with Reform or letting Nigel Farage into the Tory Party
Tory leadership hopeful Mel Stride has insisted he would not facilitate a merger with either Reform UK or Nigel Farage.
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Speaking exclusively to LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, Mr Stride, who served as work and pensions secretary under the last government, was responding to caller Graham, who said he believes the Tories have ‘no other choice’.
“Most of the Reform party voters are ex-Tory,” Graham told Mr Stride.
But Mr Stride told LBC the solution is to win back Reform voters, without merging with the party itself.
“The answer is no…if that means getting into bed with Nigel Farage, talented politician though he is, has said he is out to destroy the Conservative Party so I would not be looking at any formal deals with that party,” the Tory leadership candidate said.
“We’ve got to respect and reach out to those that otherwise would have voted Conservative but voted Reform…we have to address the issues that matter to them,” Mr Stride continued.
“People care about the level of migration, they care about clamping down on illegal migration, they care...about the level of taxation and we need to get that down.
“It is by addressing those kind of issues, which I don’t call sort of Reform or right-wing issues, I think they’re common ground issues that most people actually believe are the right thing to do.”
Mr Stride added that “the centre really matters” and that under his leadership, it would be an “inclusive, One Nation” party.
Graham's question came after caller Daniel told Mr Stride he could never vote Tory again after switching to Reform.
“I’m disgusted…I’m never going to vote Conservative again,” Daniel told him.
Nick also asked the Tory MP what role Suella Braverman would play under his leadership.
Ms Braverman, the former Home Secretary, claimed she had the support of enough Tory MPs to stand in the leadership race but said she wouldn't after being declared “mad” by her party.
Mr Stride refused to be drawn on whether she would serve under his potential future Shadow Cabinet, and refused to criticise her, stressing the need to avoid 'blue on blue attacks'.
It comes after the Conservatives' 1922 Committee introduced a 'yellow card' system in the leadership race, meaning any candidate who attacks fellow MPs will be reprimanded.
There are six candidate standing in the race to replace Rishi Sunak, including James Cleverly, Priti Patel, Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Tom Tugednhat, and of course, Mr Stride.
All six won the support of at least 10 MPs to secure their nomination.
Tory MPs will soon whittle down the candidates to four, who will be given until the Conservative Party Conference in October to make their case.
MPs will once again whittle down the candidate list, this time to two MPs.
Tory Party members will then vote for the next leader, which will be announced on November 2.
