Why would Nigel Farage want a deal with the tainted Tories?

Confidence is clearly rising in the Reform UK camp after Nigel Farage ruled out doing any deal with the “dishonourable” Tories.

Despite former Conservative leadership candidate Robert Jenrick recently refusing to rule out such a deal, Farage did just that, while branding the Tories “undeserving” of government.

Not everyone in the Tory camp would be on board either of course. One spokesperson for leader Kemi Badenoch ruled the idea out as did another shadow minister over the weekend.

It should be said that on recent poll numbers however, Reform and the Tories combined would have the MPs to govern together in coalition, with Reform as the senior partner and presumably with Nigel Farage as PM.

To some extent Farage needs to demonstrate a break with the Tories and this message has been reiterated before.

Would the Reform boss really refuse to deal with the Tories if it meant Reform could be in government, Farage would be PM and Labour would be out of office? Who knows? But Reform will also be thinking that room exists for the poll numbers to go up. At face value the cancelling of so many local elections could undermine Reform’s rise.

Championing the cause of democracy gives Farage an even bigger platform as Labour scores a spectacular own goal with this anti-democratic measure.

Farage and Reform feel this is their moment. Understandably they want to keep a million miles from the toxic and tainted Tories.

Perhaps Farage’s greatest risk now is if the Tories ditch under-fire leader Badenoch, since her seeming inability to shape the agenda is a gift to Reform and its ascendancy.

While 2029 – the likely date of the next election – is a very long way off, it seems clear in which direction British politics are heading.