Dear candidate,
Nigel Farage made it clear yesterday that he doesn’t want a hung Parliament, and the risk of a Corbyn Government that it would bring. And that he is willing to give Boris Johnson the benefit of the doubt on Brexit, following the latter’s commitment not to extend transition beyond the end of 2020. Hence your leader’s decision to stand down Brexit Party candidates in the 317 seats that the Conservatives won at the last election.
The logic of his decision suggests that its candidates should stand down in any contest in which they risk helping to bring about a hung Parliament – and hence a Corbyn Government. So we ask you to recognise this position by standing down yourself. Some of your colleagues in the same position have already done so, or now wish to.
You may ask what future the Brexit Party has if it is to stand down not only candidates in the 317 constituencies, but also marginal ones too. We are obviously an interested party, and would prefer it not to stand anywhere. But we concede that there is a solution which would allow some of its candidates to do so, and which would be consistent with the spirit of what Farage said yesterday.
It is to stand in a selection of Labour-held seats that the Conservatives have no realistic hope of winning. In that way, it would become clear whether or not the Brexit Party has a future as a party that can win constituencies in a general election at all.
Finally, you know in your heart that you are not going to win your marginal seat. So it is not as though you will be giving up a chance to sit on those green benches and help to get Brexit done. Your leader has indicated that he is willing to take a chance on Johnson, and what’s good for him should surely be good enough for everyone else.
Best,
ConservativeHome