Andrew Castle Tells Tory Leadership Candidates: Deal With Leaving EU Or Face Farage 'De Facto' PM

26 May 2019, 08:47 | Updated: 26 May 2019, 09:38

Andrew Castle warned Conservative leadership hopefuls that failing to deal with the UK leaving the European Union will result in Nigel Farage becoming 'de facto' Prime Minister.

Speaking on his LBC show, Andrew Castle said the Brexit Party leader would "hoover up" Brexit voters if the next Conservative leader fails to 'deal with' leaving.

"If you don't somehow deal for once and for all, if you are a true blue Conservative, with the issue of Brexit, with the issue of leaving, then Nigel Farage will become de facto leader of this country," he said.

"He will absolutely hoover up, in a general election, Brxeit voters."

A Conservative Party leadership contest began as Theresa May announced she will step down as Prime Minister after Donald Trump's state visit in June.

Boris Johnson, Andrea Leadsom, Dominic Raab, Rory Stewart, Jeremy Hunt, Matt Hancock and Esther McVey have so far announced their intention to be the Tory leader, with Michael Gove, Sit Graham Brady and Penny Mordaunt amongst those expected to annouce their candidacy.

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd ruled herself out of the contest, saying now was 'not her time'.

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