The Conservative Party have been accused of attempting to bribe prospective Parliamentary candidates for the Brexit Party to stand down in marginal constituencies by offering them jobs with the party.
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage has claimed on Twitter that Boris Johnson’s Chief Strategic Adviser, Sir Edward Lister, was phoning Brexit Party candidates and offering them jobs in return for withdrawing their candidacy.
Even Boris Johnson’s Chief Strategic Adviser Sir Edward Lister is calling our candidates and offering them jobs if they withdraw. The system is corrupt and broken. #ChangePoliticsForGood
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) November 14, 2019
Farage’s claim came just minutes after Rupert Lowe, the Brexit Party candidate in the Labour-Tory marginal seat of Dudley North, stood down citing concerns that he might split the Brexit vote.
Lowe claimed that he was “putting country before party” by standing down, and that it was “highly conceivable” that his candidacy could have allowed Labour to win the seat.
It is with a heavy heart I have decided not to contest Dudley North as a Brexit Party candidate.
I am putting country before party as it is highly conceivable my candidacy could allow Corbyn’s Momentum candidate to win.
They are simply not fit to govern. pic.twitter.com/kfYIMV3CHJ
— Rupert Lowe (@RupertLowe10) November 14, 2019
The accusation comes just days after Nigel Farage declared that he would stand down all Brexit Party candidates in Tory-held constituencies.
However, Farage also confirmed that he would still be standing candidates in key Labour-Tory marginals, and it appears that Tory Party chiefs are deeply worried about the prospect of failing to make significant gains in these areas.
The Tories’ alleged attempt to offer jobs to Brexit Party candidates in return for standing down has already been described as ‘blatant corruption‘, with many asking if their actions break electoral law.
Looks like if this could be proved (v difficult) then it would contravene Section 107 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 and be against the law. pic.twitter.com/AEDM987eN4
— Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) November 14, 2019
Farage has since claimed in a YouTube video that senior figures in the Conservative Party attempted to offer eight senior figures in the Brexit Party peerages in return for standing down:
If the claim turns out to be true, it could be considered a criminal offence under electoral law.
Looks like if this could be proved (v difficult) then it would contravene Section 107 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 and be against the law. pic.twitter.com/AEDM987eN4
— Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) November 14, 2019
The deadline for General Election candidates to decide whether to put themselves forward officially passed at 4pm today.
Candidates are not able to withdraw their candidacy after this deadline – with the only historical exception being if they die.
