Reform UK leader gives ‘guarantee’ that it won’t step aside for Tories at election

Richard Tice assures senior members of his party in writing that he will not revive Brexit party's 2019 deal with Conservatives

The leader of Reform UK has given cast-iron guarantees" to senior members of his rightwing populist party that it will not step aside for the Conservatives at the forthcoming general election.

The Tories were able to win a majority in 2019 after Reform's previous incarnation, the Brexit party, did not field any candidates against them in return for Boris Johnson's commitment to leave the EU by 2020 before pursuing a Canada-style trade deal.