The Brexit Party could fight as few as 20 seats in general election

According to the Telegraph there are splits in the pro-Brexit party over its election strategy – with some figures backing a focus on a small number of Labour seats that it has a better chance of winning.

The newspaper reports that it could be as few as 20 seats, while others suggested it could be closer to 100.

MEP John Longworth said it would be “sensible” to focus on securing a result that benefits a pro-Brexit result.

He said: “I think it is important for us to be sensible. I think we ought to be targeted in terms of the number of seats that we decide to address.”

“I can imagine that might be 20 or 30. They would be entirely winnable then if you poured all your resources into them. You probably would not get any more if you concentrated on the 600. But you would also get a better result for Brexit too.”

Appearing on Radio 4’s Today programme chairman Richard Tice was reluctant to agree to standing against sitting Tory MPs in the election.

On a third ask, Tice admitted: “If necessary, it is not our preference”.

It follows the suggestion from a former Farage ally in August that Farage’s team would not fight a general election if he thought he was unlikely to win.

Hopefuls had to pay a non-refundable application fee of £100 to be considered for the role of candidate by the organisation.