Kemi Badenoch has made it clear she’s open to post-election deals between Tory councilors and Reform UK — but absolutely no chance of anything similar happening nationally.
The Conservative leader said she’d be happy for local councillors to join forces with Nigel Farage’s party to run town halls if needed. But when it comes to the big stage, she’s standing firm: no coalitions with Reform at Westminster, reported the Express.
Speaking to Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Badenoch said: “I want to be extremely clear, because people have often been confused by this. I’m not going into any coalition whatsoever with Nigel Farage or Reform at the national level.”
She then explained why the local elections were a different story. “At the local level, it’s different. In the national election, you can rerun the election; at a local level, you can’t. So, there might be no overall control. And what I’ve said to our councillors, I trust these people, they’re very smart, they’ve been doing this for decades, is that you have to do what is right for your local area.”
Badenoch pointed out that the Tories are already working in coalitions with Lib Dems, Independents, and even Labour in some councils. Her message was simple: local councillors should do whatever is best for their communities.
She added: “What I don’t want to hear is talk of stitch-ups or people planning things before the result is out. They have to do what’s right for their community.”
Voters across 23 areas in England are set to head to the polls this Thursday to pick their new councillors. There’s also the Runcorn and Helsby by-election happening the same day, alongside six mayoral elections in devolved regions across the country.
Meanwhile, Reform leader Nigel Farage has been quick to set out his stall, insisting his party won’t be cutting deals with the Conservatives. Earlier this month, Farage said Reform had “no intention” of doing pacts with the Tories at any level.”
With Reform UK consistently polling ahead of the Conservatives nationally in recent months, tensions between the two parties have only sharpened.
But when it comes to the local scene, it sounds like Badenoch is giving councillors the green light to keep their options open, as long as any decisions made are about delivering for local people, not backroom deals.
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