Rishi facing attack from all sides as Reform offers MPs £420,000 to defect
RISHI Sunak is battling to keep his voters and MPs from the clutches of Reform UK which has reportedly offered nearly half a million pounds to backbenchers to defect.
A poll suggests only 47% of Conservative voters from the 2019 election would vote Tory next time while 19%would back Reform UK, the highest figure yet, said the Redfield and Wilton survey.
Meanwhile, an Ipsos Mori poll put Labour on 49% (up 8) – a massive 22 points ahead of the Tories on 27% (up 3).
The figures have come as Tory MPs have told the Daily Express they believe there “could still be money on the table” from Reform UK for potential defectors.
With Conservative MPs debating whether to try to replace Rishi Sunak another row has broken out over disputed claims that Reform leader Richard Tice offered Conservative MPs cash to defect.
It is claimed he offered them five years of MP wages as a consultant for the party totalling £420,720 (under current MP pay) if they switched and lost their seat as a result.
Mr Tice vehemently denies the accusations claiming Tory whips have “put MPs up” to making false accusations about him and his party.
However, he has not hidden the fact he is in regular contact with Conservative MPs and is hopeful a number will defect ahead of the election later this year.
With Reform closing on the Tories with support as much as 13% and Labour holding a strong lead, the prospect of Rishi Sunak leading his party to a heavy election defeat is increasing. There are fears among MPs that if Nigel Farage steps back into frontline politics as Reform leader and makes a bid for Parliament it could take so many votes the Tories will face a wipeout. Sources have suggested Mr Farage could target Clacton, Essex where UKIP won in a byelection when he was leader. Top Tory Lee Anderson has claimed he was offered the five-year deal by Reform and refused. “It was a lot of money, but it didn’t tempt me,” he told Express.co.uk.
Another Conservative MP on the right of the party who claimed to have been targeted by Reform UK, said: “I was contacted by an intermediary and I had two meetings with Richard Tice where we discussed it. The meetings were very friendly, and they offered me five years of MP’s salary if I lost my seat after defecting.
“But I am a Conservative, I feel part of the Conservative family and even though I am not entirely happy about the small boats and immigration, I would rather stay and fight from inside.”
But the MP added: “A number of us feel we are not getting the sup
port we need to win back our seats and I believe the Reform money could still be on the table, but I won’t be taking it.”
Another MP on the right described that they would not have switched because “political parties are a bit like a football team, you pick a side and stay loyal”.
Mr Tice said: “These claims are not correct. I do not comment on any talks save there are a number of worried, unhappy Tory MPs on the right who know they will be redundant if they stand as a Tory in the general election.”
Reform UK plan to stand against every Conservative MP at the next election with the aim of wiping out the Tories.
Mr Tice says the Conservatives are betraying Brexit and failing by increasing taxes and wedding themselves to green policies. A number of Tory Brexiteer MPs in Red Wall seats claim they have been abandoned by party bosses.
One said: “Basically, all the money is going south. They are worried about the Lib Dems and the so-called blue wall. I can’t even get a campaign manager for my seat even though I know I can hold on to it with help.”
Another Red Wall MP noted: “If you look at the last local elections in May last year we did better in the north and Midlands, it was the south where there is a major problem. In a wipeout scenario the money would be better spent defending our constituencies.”
A third MP added: “This is why suggestion Reform are offering money is tempting to colleagues.
“I don’t think anyone would defect but if MPs have nothing to lose you never know.”