Brexit Party ‘makes its mind up’ on Bucks Fizz candidate
A former singer with Eurovision winners Bucks Fizz has been selected as a candidate for the Brexit Party.
Jay Aston Colquhounis will contest the London seat of Kensington, which is held by Labour.
At a rally in Westminster yesterday to announce its candidates for a potential general election, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage held out the prospect of a “non-aggression pact” with the Conservatives as a means to secure a “cleanbreak” exit from the EU.
Mr Farage said that if Prime Minister Boris Johnson could “summon up the courage” for a no-deal Brexit on 31 October, “then we are prepared to do the right thing”.
But he warned that Johnson would face a pitched battle at the polls if he tried to implement the Withdrawal Agreement already rejected by parliament.
Bucks Fizz won the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with their song Making Your Mind Up and Ms Aston Colquhounis was in the band from 1981 to 1985.
She said: “I used to live in Kensington and it still feels like home.
“I want to stand for the Brexit Party and fight to uphold democracy for the sake of the people. As an MP, I will work to rebuild trust and help the Brexit Party make the necessary reforms to unite the country after we break free of the European Union.”
Mr Farage said there were 635 “approved candidates” – 15 short of ensuring the party can fight every seat.
Party chairman Richard Tice said: “There’s going to be a general election and we are ready.
“I think I can confidently predict that we are more prepared than any other party.”
Mr Farage said: “I want to make this pledge from the Brexit Party. The Withdrawal Agreement is not Brexit. It is a betrayal of what 17.4 million people voted for.
“If you insist on the Withdrawal Agreement, Mr Johnson, we will fight you in every seat up and down the country.”
The Brexit Party leader added: “My guess is I think there is a greater than 50 per cent chance that we will face a general election in the autumn.”
In his address to party candidates, Mr Farage said: “A few weeks into his premiership Boris is already going off the rails.”
He said: “I’m pleased Boris Johnson has brought some energy and optimism to that job. I’m pleased he has said we will leave ‘do or die’ on 31 October. The trouble is we have heard it all before.”
He added: “In his letter to Donald Tusk, he said a deal is his biggest priority.
“He said getting rid of the backstop would make the Withdrawal Agreement satisfactory.
“He voted for the Withdrawal Agreement the third time it came back to parliament.
“Can you trust Boris Johnson, can you trust the Conservative Party? With or without the backstop, this is still the worst deal in history.”
The Brexit Party was launched in April this year ahead of the European Parliament elections and after former prime minister Theresa May agreed to extend the Brexit deadline to 31 October. Mr Johnson has urged European counterparts to reopen the Withdrawal Agreement and make changes, especially to the backstop clause.