NIGEL Farage will hold an “emergency” election press conference this afternoon - sparking frenzied speculation he could stand for Parliament after all.
The Brexit champion had previously ruled out contesting a seat because he was caught on the hop by Rishi Sunak’s snap poll.
He said he would be more useful touring the country banging the drum for the Reform Party, of which he is honorary president.
Last week Mr Farage even suggested a pact with the Tories - telling the Sun’s Never Mind The Ballots show that Rishi Sunak should “make me an offer”.
He later rowed back from his remarks, insisting he was being "deeply sarcastic".
In 2019 he led his Brexit Party - the forebear of Reform - in standing down candidates held by current Tory MPs so it did not split the vote and help Jeremy Corbyn's Labour.
But this time Reform leader Richard Tice has categorically said no deals with the Conservatives will be done.
The PM has also ruled out striking a pact with the right-wing insurgents who risk eating into the Tory vote at the July 4 poll.
This morning Kemi Badenoch also dismissed speculation of a rapprochement because Mr Farage wants to "destroy" the party.
She said: "He has been very influential, of course, but he has stood against the Conservative Party multiple times and he has said that his aim is to destroy the Conservative Party.
“So, why would you welcome someone into your organisation when they say they want to destroy it?
“I will work with anyone who wants to help deliver a Conservative agenda.
“I’ve worked with Labour MPs, on this issue of a sex agenda, for example. I've worked with SNP MPs who disagreed with their government in Scotland, so I'm open to working with everybody.
“What I'm not open to is having people who are not Conservatives to try and join the Conservative Party so they can destroy it.”