NIGEL Farage has vowed not to stand down any Brexit Party candidates in Labour-held marginal seats.
The Brexit Party leader said he would not give in to what he described as “intimidation” to give the Tories a clear run.
And after even hinting he could vote Conservative in his own seat - where the Brexit Party has stood down - he later ruled it out.
“No, given the way the Conservative party have behaved this week - I could not vote for them,” he said.
Mr Farage announced this week his party would not contest 317 Tory-held seats for fear they could split the Leave vote.
Winning Labour marginals in areas which voted Leave will be key to Boris Johnson ’s hopes of victory on polling day.
But asked about Labour marginals on a visit to Essex, Mr Farage refused to budge ahead of a 4pm deadline today to declare candidates.
He said: “We’re going to stand against every single one of them.”
The Brexit Party is understood to have 300 candidates ‘signed off’ and ready to fight the election.
Mr Farage’s political ally Arron Banks said he had “48 hours to save Brexit” and warned that major donors could withdraw their support if he did stand down candidates in Labour seats.
Mr Johnson has refused to harden up his Brexit stance to endorse leaving the EU without a deal at the end of 2020 - which might have increased the chances of Mr Farage giving him a firmer electoral endorsement.
The PM is understood to be worried that any further pivot towards a hard Brexit would cost him more votes from Remainer Tories.
Mr Farage said he had already “gifted” the PM at least “two dozen” seats by dramatically withdrawing 317 candidates in Tory seats.
Labour’s John McDonnell played down the threat of the Brexit party in Labour-held marginals.
“I don’t think our people like these dodgy deals behind the scenes,” he said.
“When election day comes it will clarify matters. When our people go to vote, I want them to be thinking of the risk of Farage and Johnson doing that deal with Trump to sell off our NHS.”
