UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Reform UK leader Nigel Farage ruled out a pact with former PM Boris Johnson, blaming him for immigration, while defending Nadine Dorries joining his party.
As reported by The Guardian, Nigel Farage rejected a pact with Boris Johnson after Tory defector Nadine Dorries urged right-wing unity.
Nigel Farage’s views on Boris Johnson’s “Boris Wave”
Nigel Farage warned the public would “never forgive” Boris Johnson for his immigration policy, calling the post-Brexit immigration surge the “Boris wave.”
He stated that he did
“not think that would really work somehow. The Boris wave was felt by millions of people, millions were allowed into Britain most of whom don’t work … people will never ever forgive him.”
He defended bringing Ms Dorries into Reform UK, despite her support for Mr Johnson, citing her government experience.
Mr Farage said,
“You can ask me lots of questions about policy and personnel and all the rest of it, but if you ask me, how are you going to do this? I can’t really give you an answer, because I haven’t got anybody in the senior team that’s ever been there before.”
He added,
“Nadine came yesterday. She’s the first, and there will be others.”
What did Nadine Dorries say about uniting Nigel Farage and Johnson?
Nadine Dorries, ex-Culture Secretary and Mr Johnson ally, quit the Tories for Reform, calling the Conservative party “dead” ahead of the conference.
In a Mail podcast interview, she suggested Mr Johnson should cooperate with Mr Farage to build an election-winning team.
Ms Dorries said,
“If there’s a will to make the lives of people better, then I think both men could and would find some way to accommodate each other’s egos and to coexist for the sake of the country.”
She added,
“We need all the political talents on the right of centre putting their shoulder to what needs to be done for the country.”
Ms Dorries warned of an “unholy alliance” forming with Jeremy Corbyn, the Greens, and Angela Rayner after leaving the deputy PM role.
What did Zia Yusuf say about Boris Johnson’s record?
Zia Yusuf, Reform policy head, slammed Boris Johnson as “one of the worst prime ministers in British history,” and said he betrayed Brexit voters. He said the former Tory leader would never be welcomed in Reform UK.
Mr Yusuf said,
“We certainly would not welcome Boris Johnson – that’s never going to happen. He threw open our borders. The Boris wave, which is millions and millions of non-EU migrants flooding into the country post-Brexit, betrayed every single person that voted Brexit. Frankly he was one of the worst prime ministers in British history.”
Kemi Badenoch’s views on Nigel Farage and Ms Dorries
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised Nigel Farage for admitting Dorries into Reform UK.
She highlighted that Nadine Dorries was a drafter of the Online Safety Act, a law that Reform UK firmly opposes, arguing it restricts free speech.
Ms Badenoch stated that Mr Farage had
“confessed he wanted Conservatives to join his party because he couldn’t do anything without them.”
What did Anna Turley say about Nigel Farage’s plan for Britain?
Anna Turley, the Labour Party chair, added,
“Nigel Farage has no plan for Britain. Now he’s admitted he doesn’t have confidence that his team is capable of delivering a plan if he did have one.”
What did Nigel Farage say about his tax and property arrangements?
Nigel Farage faced questions over his tax and property remarks, after reports said he bought a house in Clacton actually owned by his partner. If he had purchased a constituency home, he would owe around £44,000 in higher-rate stamp duty for a second property.
Mr Farage admitted he misspoke about buying the property, saying on the BBC,
“The fact that she’s bought a house: why not?”
The Reform leader explained his company handled his media earnings, which employ others, saying publishing his own tax return would be “an intrusion too far” and he is “not inclined to do that.”
What did Kevin Hollinrake say about Reform UK’s migration plans?
Kevin Hollinrake, Tory chair, accused Reform UK of copying old migration policies.
She said,
“All Reform are doing now – a few weeks ago they were talking about towing the boats back to France and they realised they couldn’t do that. And all their plans now are a copycat – exactly the plans that we had in the last government.”
Ms Hollinrake added,
“We tried to get through – eventually got past parliament in passing the Rwanda Act – to return people to their own country and if that could not happen to a third country, Rwanda. We got huge criticism for it – and Reform are now copying those plans.”
Key facts about the illegal migrants in the UK
In 2025, 86% of irregular arrivals (44,125 people) came via small boats. There is no reliable estimate for the total illegal migrant population in the UK.
Returns of illegal migrants rose in 2025. However, only 2,330 small boat arrivals were sent back. Albanians made up 75% of these returned arrivals.