Brexit Party pulls candidates in Herefordshire

The Brexit Party has announced its candidates will not be contesting Herefordshire’s two constituencies.

Party leader Nigel Farage had planned to field candidates in 600 seats after Boris Johnson rejected his offer of a Leave alliance to deliver Brexit.

But he has now caved into pressure not to split the pro-Brexit vote and the party will now not stand in 317 seats won by the Tories in 2017.

The party instead will focus targeting seats held by the Labour Party.

This means Bromyard’s Mark Smith, who was only announced as the Brexit Party candidate for North Herefordshire last week, will not be standing.

Also pulling out of the race is Matt Slocombe the landlord of the Crown Inn at Woolhope.

Only last week he said he hoped to provide residents with the chance to vote for a ‘Herefordian who was going to represent the real people of Herefordshire’.

“What an embarrassment the last three and a half years have been,” he said last week.

“Three prime ministers, four leaving dates, endless failure and countless promises betrayed by all the old parties, it is just not good enough.

“The ditch is full.

“They promised to enact the will of the people and they have failed.”

But this week he announced on Twitter that he would not be contesting the Hereford and South Herefordshire constituency.

And added that it was a hard decision for Nigel Farage to take.

“Country before party,” he said.

“I will not be standing in Hereford and South Herefordshire but will be helping other candidates for the Brexit Party so we keep Boris to his word.
“We know that is essential.”