NIGEL Farage is open to a deal with Rishi Sunak to save the Tories from oblivion – telling the PM: “Give me something back… We might have a conversation.”
The Brexit stalwart said he had done the party many “favours” over the years – asking the PM: “What are they going to do back for me?”
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As Reform eat into the Tories’ vote, the challenger party’s Honorary President challenged the Conservatives saying: “Give me something back. We might have a conversation.”
And he revealed the real reason why he won’t stand in the General Election on our brand-new election show which you can watch EVERY weekday on thesun.co.uk or on election YouTube channel here.
On today’s Never Mind the Ballots special, Farage said he has done the Tories “some huge favours” – and now wants something back.
He told The Sun’s Political Editor Harry Cole the Tories have already tried to lure him away, hinting they had even offered him a peerage.
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Farage dismissed the offer as “rubbish” – but said he and the Tories “might have a conversation”.
He said: “I got rid of Mrs May with the Brexit Party. I stood aside for Boris to help him win a massive majority.
“What are they going to do back for me?”
Harry said: “Peerage?”
But Farage said: “No, no I’ve turned all that rubbish down in the past.
“I’m not asking them for anything other I’ve done them some huge favours over the years as a party.
“Give me something back. We might have a conversation.”
Farage also revealed he decided not to run because “the other side will cheat”.
He said: “I had a plan, actually. I’ll let you in on a secret. I was going to launch tomorrow – I had a venue booked, I had it all ready to go.
“But the problem is, you can’t win in a constituency – or it’s very difficult to win – without data.
“It’s even harder to win when you’re Nigel Farage, because the other side will cheat.
“There’ll be third party outside influencers, and I needed a really good run at this. And six weeks wasn’t enough.
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“I thought, well, rather than being stuck for six weeks in a constituency, why not travel around the country.
“Not just supporting Reform candidates, but try and get a proper debate going.”
Farage added: “Thus far it is the dullest election campaign in history.”
Harry said: “Well, you’re certainly trying to do your bit.”
It comes after Farage sparked a backlash by saying a “growing number of young people do not subscribe to British values”.
The Reform UK president later revealed he was talking about British Muslims – after claiming they “loathe much of what we stand for”.
FOR WHOM THE BELL POLLS
THE Sun’s exclusive polling reveals that Labour is on course for a big win on July 4.
Savanta expert Chris Hopkins said: “The polls haven’t moved in 18 months.
“There’s this assumption that they’re now going to start moving as soon as the election campaign is called.
“But I think what we’ve seen so far in the race is that Rishi Sunak isn’t a great campaigner, frankly.
“And I think that there’s this there is still this assumption that if the polls move, they will move in one direction, i.e. they will narrow.
“I don’t think that’s a given at this point. I think that, as Ryan said, you know, Labour have to have an incredibly safe campaign.
“And I think it doesn’t it doesn’t benefit them to to go all guns blazing on policy.”
Pollster Chris added: “I think, you know, ‘safe’ is kind of the the word of the day.
“Sure, the Conservative Party has to come out with something, but it does feel like a really real core vote strategy at the minute.”
Richard Madeley grilled Farage about the comments in a heated Good Morning Britain interview yesterday.
The presenter said IPSOS Mori polling from 2018 proved former UKIP and Brexit Party leader Farage was wrong,
He said: “They found absolutely conclusively Muslims in the UK attach more importance to being British than the general population.”
Madeley added: “85% feel they truly belong to Britain, 55% feel that their national identity as British is very important to them.
“That compares to 44% of the general population. So I’m bound to ask – what on earth were you talking about there?”
Farage replied: “What I said is that a growing number of young people do not subscribe to British values.
“In fact, they despise them in many ways. All of your viewers would have seen the local elections.
“In parts of our inner cities we saw sectarian politics – people voting purely on religious lines, councillors getting elected and screaming Allahu Akbar.”
It’s even harder to win when you’re Nigel Farage, because the other side will cheat
Nigel Farage
He claimed that 23% of British Muslims aged between 18 and 24 think jihad is a good thing.
Farage added: “Now that of course is not a British value in any way at all.
“It’s a very disturbing trend that’s particularly prevalent among the young.”
Madeley said: “The poll that you just quoted from has been very heavily criticised as self-selecting.
“People were basically drawn in through a series of clicks and by the time they were asked to register their opinion they had already made their minds up.
“You also said that you could take someone to a particular street in Oldham and there would be nobody there who speaks English.
“Well again that’s just not true – the ONS says that only 0.7% of people in Oldham don’t speak English, less than one in a hundred.”
Farage claimed it was “undoubtedly true” a growing number of young people “don’t only subscribe to our values but support Hamas”.
‘INTOLERABLE BIGOTRY’
The politician made his original remarks in an interview with Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips on Sunday.
He said: “We have a growing number of young people in this country who do not subscribe to British values.
“In fact, loathe much of what we stand for. I think we see them on the streets of London every Saturday.”
Asked by Phillips if he was referring to British Muslims, Farage answered: “We are.”
Tory MP Steve Baker slammed the comments – praising British Muslims in his Buckinghamshire constituency.
Baker said: “I am proud that in Wycombe, British Muslims are councillors, mayors, council chairs and parliamentary candidates.
“They are justices of the peace and the present High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire.
“They are teachers and headteachers, doctors and pillars of our society.”
He added: “These are my colleagues, friends and supporters and I am glad.
“They deserve much better than to be the object of this clear and intolerable bigotry.
“This is why I have always fought Islamophobia and why I will continue to do so, supporting the creation of a practical definition.”
Labour’s manifesto ‘as light as a korma’
LABOUR’s manifesto will be as light as a korma, The Sun’s expert team have predicted – warning it’s “cynical” for the party not to commit to any policies.
Our Westminster team broke down the latest campaign news on a brand new election show hosted by political editor Harry Cole, that you can watch EVERY weekday at thesun.co.uk or on our YouTube channel here.
On yesterday’s Never Mind the Ballots special, Harry said: “Starmer is going for the vibes feel. It’s all about presentation.
“It’s shirt sleeves rolled up, big change sign. But there’s no policy – it’s incredibly policy light.”
Deputy Political Editor Ryan Sabey added: “The manifesto will be policy light – it will be very, very thin.
“They just don’t need it. They’re nearly there. They’re nearly going to seize power.
“So all they need to do is actually get over the finishing line.”
But Sun on Sunday Political Editor Kate Ferguson warned the “cynical” move could backfire.
She said: “I remember a frontbencher telling me a few months ago what they thought the Labour manifesto would be on a curry scale.
“They said it’s going to be a korma, not a vindaloo.”
Harry interjected: “Everyone knows a korma is not a curry!”
Kate said: “Exactly. You can really expect Labour to be light on detail – don’t say anything, don’t say anything. just give off good vibes.
“Is it the 90s again? But the danger is that it could backfire if the Tories start climbing in the polls.
“If the Tories don’t, they’ll feel very comfortable doing it.”
