𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Reform UK’s deputy leader had no time for nonsense. He thundered: “Your failure is that you are not a leader, just weak.”

The target of Richard Tice’s ire was not Andy Burnham, the Prime Minister, or even Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader. The tirade on X was aimed at Henry Bolton, the national security spokesman for the rival Right-wing party, Restore Britain.

Mr Bolton had been criticising Reform’s new plan to stop the boats. In response, Mr Tice said: “Your negative, can’t-do attitude to life is pathetic and typifies why this country is in such a mess.”

It suggests that a rapprochement between the two parties is as far away as ever.

But that’s a problem for Nigel Farage.

The Reform UK leader is still likely to become prime minister, despite setbacks, including an increase in Labour’s support since Mr Burnham became leader. The “Burnham bounce” could turn out to be temporary once the new team in No 10 faces some real hurdles.

However, the outcome of the next General Election is far from certain, and one thing that could prevent Mr Farage walking through the doors of No 10 is the split between his party and Restore Britain, led by Mr Farage’s former friend Rupert Lowe.

Nigel and Rupert, a former Reform MP, have become bitter enemies. But their parties aren’t so different. They even have similar names.

Even so, it appears they both plan to field candidates across the country at the next General Election. And this increases the chances of Labour staying in power.

The result of the recent mayoral election in Greater Manchester illustrates the problem. Reform got 21% of first-preference votes, but Restore received almost 9%. In this case, Labour would have won anyway. But if the election had been closer, then Restore’s 9% could easily have made all the difference and prevented Reform from winning.

Consider, for example, Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, where Labour has a majority of just 214 votes, or 0.56%. Or how about Derbyshire Dales, where Labour’s majority in the 2024 General Election was 350 votes, or 0.68%.

These are seats Reform may hope to win at the next election (even though the Conservatives came second to Labour last time). But if the Restore stand too, they could split the vote and allow Labour to hold on.

Mr Lowe made an extraordinary offer over the weekend. He suggested putting aside “past disagreements” to end the division between the two parties.

He also set out some conditions that Mr Farage cannot possibly accept. This included demanding that former Tories be barred from the Cabinet in any Reform Government.

Nigel can’t do that. It would mean betraying people like Robert Jenrick, a former Conservative who is now Reform’s candidate to be Chancellor.

Mr Farage made this clear today, when he said: “I don’t ditch my friends. I don’t ditch my allies.”

However, the Reform UK leader added: “I did actually reach out to him yesterday. I did say, ‘look, should we have a call?’ I haven’t heard back yet, so I don’t know what the sincerity of this is.”

Mr Lowe responded by attacking Farage, accusing him of misrepresenting their messages.

But Nigel should keep talking to Rupert. Ending the war on the Right will make it much easier to beat the Left.