Ruth Davidson Blasts Idea of Farage Joining Tories as ‘Imbecilic,’ Foresees Battle for Party’s Soul Post-Election

'Only over my dead body': Ruth Davidson describes it as 'foolish' for Conservatives to welcome Farage

The ex-head of the Scottish Conservatives warns of an internal conflict within the party should the Tories face defeat in the upcoming general election.

Tuesday, June 18, 2024, 5:

Ex-leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson, has expressed that permitting Nigel Farage to become a member of the Conservative Party would be an utterly foolish decision, stating it would occur only "over my cold, dead corpse".

During the unveiling of his party's policy manifesto, the leader of Reform UK made a case for positioning his party as the primary challenger to Labour, who is predicted by surveys to be the likely victor in the upcoming general election.

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Mr. Farage stated that he does not plan to join the Conservative Party should he secure a victory in the Essex constituency of Clacton on July 4, though he did not definitively dismiss the possibility of joining at a later date.

During a discussion on the Electoral Dysfunction podcast hosted by Sky News political editor Beth Rigby, former Labour adviser Ayesha Hazarika expressed her belief that he will be victorious and subsequently switch allegiances to the Conservative Party.

"She believes he will mirror Donald Trump's approach by taking control of the Conservative Party in a similar fashion," she noted.

However, Baroness Davidson indicated that a significant dispute among members is likely regarding the decision to permit Mr. Farage's entry.

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"I would have declared it would happen over my cold, dead body," she stated.

"I believe it would be utterly foolish for the party to allow someone who has openly opposed it, whose declared goal is to dismantle the Conservative Party, to join and potentially orchestrate a complete takeover, acting like a parasitic worm that consumes its host."

"Indeed, I believe numerous Conservatives will choose to remain and contend."

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Baroness Davidson expressed her belief that the Conservative Party will shift further to the right if they are defeated in the upcoming general election, leading to a significant internal struggle over the party's core identity.

"She believes that many will recognize that their faction may not be dominant, yet significant disruptions occur," she stated.

"The possibility of Nigel Farage assuming leadership could spell disaster, and it’s a situation worth battling against."

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The individuals running for election in Clacton include:

• Matthew Bensilum, representing the Liberal Democrats

• Craig Jamieson, Environmental Party

• Tony Mack, Unaffiliated

• Natasha Osben, member of the Green Party

• Jovan Owusu-Nepaul, representing the Labour Party

• Tasos Papanastasiou, Heritage Party

• Andrew Pemberton, representing the UK Independence Party

• Giles Watling, member of the Conservative Party

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