Farage claims Tories offered jobs to Brexit Party candidates to get them to stand down

It follows his claims he will not stand any further candidates down, days after announcing 317 candidates would stand down in Tory-held seats.

Farage said on Twitter: “Even Boris Johnson’s Chief Strategic Adviser Sir Edward Lister is calling our candidates and offering them jobs if they withdraw. The system is corrupt and broken #ChangePoliticsForGood”

In a video posted on Twitter shortly after he said: “We want what 17.4 million people voted for and we want to change politics for good, because I tell you, having tried the attack, they then tried something that frankly I think is bordering on corruption but it says so much about Westminster and the way things run.

“I’ve said in the past and I’ll say it again, repeatedly it’s been suggested to me that I might like to have a seat in the House of Lords, so that I can go quietly.

“And every time this gets said my answer is the same – I’m not for sale, I’m not interested, I don’t want anything.

“I just want to get Brexit delivered.”

Farage’s comments on Twitter came as prominent Brexit Party MEP Rupert Lowe revealed he will not contest Dudley North as the 4pm nominations deadline passed.

After 4pm, the Brexit Party would not have been able to replace Lowe.

The former Southampton FC chairman’s decision comes on the eve of a visit to the town by Farage, who had been expected to lend Lowe his backing.

Ian Lavery, Labour Party Chair, claimed the Tories looked like they were trying to “stitch-up” the election.

He said: “It looks like Boris Johnson is trying to stitch-up this election by offering jobs to Brexit party candidates to get them to stand down.

“This gives a whiff of the corrupt way the establishment works. We can’t allow the Tories to run the country a minute longer. It’s time for real change.”

The Tories had not responded to requests for comment over the allegations.