Nigel Farage decided not to participate in the UK general election

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Nigel Farage will not stand as a candidate in this year’s general election, a decision that leaves the UK’s right-wing Reform party without the most prominent name on the ballot and eases pressure on the Conservative Party.

Farageone of the party’s founders and honorary chairman, said he would “do his part” in the UK, but would focus on campaigning with grassroots groups ahead of the US election in November between Donald Trump and incumbent Joe Biden, a contest he says has “global” implications. meaning”.

Reform UK launched its election campaign in London on Thursday, with party leader Richard Tice, who replaces Farage in 2021, confirming his party will run candidates in all wards elections in the UK.

Tice said Sunak had “bottled” his call for an early election on July 4.

“The truth is he failed, he was completely cut and run, because he was really scared because Reform was going up in the polls.”

Party currently polling was at about 12 percent and is expected to eat into the Conservative Party’s right wing in the election, while also attracting some votes from the Labor Party in certain areas of the country.

Senior Conservative Party officials fear that Reform will take enough votes from the Conservative Party to steal some seats in the upcoming vote.

“As honorary chairman of Reform UK, I fully support the leadership of Richard Tice and urge voters to place their trust in him and Lee Anderson,” Farage posted on social media platform X.

Farage’s decision means Tice will lead the party into this year’s election, with the Brexit supporter playing a quieter role in the campaign.

Tice said he was “thrilled” to have “Farage’s help in the election,” although it remains unclear exactly how the former stockbroker plans to feature over the next six weeks.

Reaction from Conservative MPs was mixed. Some felt that without Farage at the center, the threat from the Reformation was diminished.

A former minister at risk of a strong Reform vote in their constituency said they were “delighted, locally and nationally” about Farage’s decision not to stand.

Another Tory insider said: “The Farage thing is huge. It helps us save 30-40 seats.”

Other conservatives remain pessimistic. Adam Holloway, the Conservative MP for Gravesham in Kent, told the Financial Times that Reform is on track to split the right-wing vote, see the Conservatives defeated and “will help the Labor Party retain power force for at least 10 to 15 years.

“I’m worried about them. They will smash the Conservative Party,” he added.

Reform currently has one MP, Lee Anderson, who defected to the Conservative Party in March after being suspended from the party following claims “Islamists” had “controlled” the mayor of London Sadiq Khan. Tice will represent the Boston and Skegness seats in Lincolnshire.

Their performance in May’s local elections, where they took about 12% of council seats and only 2, was not as expected.

The party has also had difficulty raising large amounts of donations, according to party officials, and recently hired a vetting firm after several candidates were found to have posted inflammatory comments. on social networks.

Farage, who took up a paid position at right-wing broadcaster GB News as a presenter after resigning from Reform in 2021, remains a director and majority shareholder in the party, being structured as a limited liability company.

He recently told Talk TV that he had received “a very solid job offer” in the US, which would allow him to “indirectly” support Trump’s election campaign.