Nigel Farage says he's in talks with Tory donors for Brexit Party

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage. Photograph: Isabel Infantes/PA Wire - Credit: PA

Nigel Farage said the Brexit Party is in talks with Conservative donors for potential backing in a general election campaign.

He told a press conference in London that the party is beginning the process of recruiting 650 general election candidates.

‘There are now a few much bigger donors – traditionally to the Conservative party – who we are now in conversation with,’ said Farage.

‘They understand and realise that to fight a general election seriously we’re going to need big bucks.’

He claimed formerly loyal Tory donors were ‘asking themselves the question ‘what is the Conservative party for, what purpose does it actually serve?”.

Farage has emphasised that a large part of the party’s funding has come from small donations, but has repeatedly refused to name an individual donor of £100,000 until after the EU elections.

READ: Nigel Farage says identity of Brexit Party’s £100K donor is ‘irrelevant’The Brexit Party has not yet responded to a request to identify the potential Tory donors.

The party is currently selecting a candidate for an upcoming Peterborough by-election out of a shortlist of three.

‘These European elections on May 23 are but a first step,’ said Farage.