The Conservatives have reported Reform UK to the Speaker of the Commons over claims that it has offered Tory MPs £400,000 to defect.
Late last year it was reported that Nigel Farage had been holding secret talks with disgruntled Red Wall MPs in a bid to convert them.
In an article published in The Telegraph, Farage confirmed Reform UK will field a full slate of candidates at the next general election.
He said “I didn’t spend 25 years battling for Brexit only to watch the Tories give it away”, citing rumours of a Swiss-style deal with the European Union that would amount to another “Chequers deal surrender” like the one seen under Theresa May in 2018.
According to Westminster insiders, Farage has been “reaching out to the disgruntled lot” in the north in a bid to “test the water”.
The approaches, it was revealed today, appear to be more serious than a tap on the shoulder, with Conservative party chiefs reporting that MPs have been offered “financial incentives” to defect to Reform UK, which they believe may be against electoral law.
“An MP has told senior people at CCHQ that they were approached and offered five years’ salary if they lose their seat at the election,” said a senior Tory source, who described the behaviour as “very dodgy”.
MPs’ pay is due to increase to £86,584, making five years’ salary worth more than £430,000.
Hart has now contacted the Speaker’s office about the claims, first reported in The Mail on Sunday, and a meeting is planned after this week’s Commons recess.
A spokeswoman for Hoyle said: “The Speaker is happy to meet the chief whip at the earliest opportunity to discuss this issue.”
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