Reform finance boss 'talking nonsense' over claim Boris Johnson was asked to stand against Farage in Clacton

Reform finance boss 'talking nonsense' over claim Boris Johnson was asked to stand against Farage in Clacton Reform’s finance chief Nick Candy has been accused of talking nonsense after he sensationally claimed Kemi Badenoch tried to get Boris Johnson to stand in the Clacton by-election Reform’s finance chief has been accused of talking nonsense after he sensationally claimed Kemi Badenoch tried to get Boris Johnson to stand in the Clacton by-election. Billionaire Nick Candy made the incendiary claim on the first day of Reform’s annual conference in Birmingham. Mr Candy - a former Tory bankroller - was slapped down by his old Conservative Party, as tensions erupted between the two right-wing parties just hours into the gathering in Birmingham. Mr Candy, a property tycoon and former close pal of Mr Johnson, donated more than £270,000 to the Conservatives when the Partygate PM was in charge. He also attended Mr Johnson’s wedding. His appointment as Reform’s treasurer in 2024 rocked the Tory party. In a surprise claim on the Daily T’s podcast, which was recorded live at Reform’s conference in Birmingham, Mr Candy said: "Who do you think Kemi asked to run in the by-election against Nigel? "Boris Johnson. She asked Boris to run in the Clacton by-election against Nigel, that is what I'm told. I don't know firsthand. I actually haven't picked up the phone to Boris on it." He continued: "Boris decided not to do it, or chose not to do it." Mr Candy added that he "loves" Mr Johnson and would be "happy" to talk to him about joining Reform UK. But a Tory source told The Mirror: "This is another nonsense story made up by Reform. No one has spoken to Boris about standing in any seat." Mr Farage triggered the Clacton by-election when he resigned as an MP after facing pressure over his personal finances, including a Commons probe into his failure to declare a £5million gift he received shortly before the 2024 general election. The Reform UK leader said he wanted the people of Clacton to judge him instead of the so-called establishment. But all the major political parties - including the Tory party - said they would not stand a candidate in the race and dismissed it as a desperate stunt. At the time, Tory leader Ms Badenoch said her party would not stand a candidate in the “fake” Clacton by-election Mr Farage was “causing to distract people from what is happening”. Mr Candy, whose marriage with actress and pop star Holly Valance ended last year, hit the headlines when The Mirror revealed he had attended a Tory Christmas party on December 14, 2020 - when social mixing between households indoors was banned. When it emerged he was defecting to Reform in December 2024, he told The Times: "I have today resigned my membership of the Conservative Party after many years of active support and substantial donations to the party. I am sorry to say there have been too many broken promises and a complete breach of trust with the wealth creators in our country. "Nigel Farage is a close personal friend of mine, and Reform UK represents the future of British politics. I am pleased to announce that I will now become the Treasurer for Reform UK and intend to raise enough funds for them to win the next general election ." Mr Candy has donated around a million pounds to Reform.