Are the Tories and Reform doing a deal in Lee Anderson's backyard?

Both the Conservatives and Reform have denied any plans to form a pact ahead of the local elections in May. But might some deals be formed at a local level anyway – particularly in the backyard of Reform MP and former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson?

The parties have been briefing and counter-briefing against each other in recent days. Reform leader Nigel Farage has dubbed Tory MPs “stuffy, boring old bastards” and mocked Kemi Badenoch’s questionable work ethic (she “often works very hard in the afternoons for a few hours”, he told journalists). “A senior Tory source”, meanwhile, noted Farage “can’t even manage five MPs” after Rupert Lowe was kicked out of the squabbling party.

In Nottinghamshire, however, relations seem far more convivial. There, with just days to go until the deadline to register, the Conservatives still don’t have candidates for a number of seats on the country council – including Ashfield, the stomping ground of Anderson. As the Tories have not fielded a full slate for years, claim to have 2,000 members in the county and prospective candidates only need two signatures to stand, locals whisper they’re leaving it clear for Reform.

An Ashfield Independent spokesperson told Rats in a Sack: “Only a few months ago, Reform went into coalition with the Tories on our local council [Ashfield]. Rumours persist of a deal between the two national parties and puts the Tories at odds with Kemi Badenoch and Nottinghamshire MP Robert Jenrick’s talk of Conservative renewal. The government have streamlined the nomination process which means that candidates only need two signatures to get on the ballot paper. The Tories literally have no excuse – they are acting like someone on the rebound.”

Reform currently has one member of Nottinghamshire Council – John Doddy, who joined the party in January after being thrown out of the Conservatives for standing against his own party in the general election. His main contribution to local democracy since was being told to “stop making a fool of yourself” after standing on his chair at a council meeting.

Now he could be joined by more if the Tories stand aside. The main questions are how many – and how much was Anderson, the Capo dei capi of Notts politics, involved?