Nigel Farage has rebuffed Kemi Badenoch's suggestion of potential local Tory-Reform coalitions. The Conservative leader has repeatedly ruled out any national deal with Reform UK but on Thursday suggested councillors from the two parties could work together after the local elections on May 1.

But Reform leader Mr Farage insisted his insurgent party had "no intention" of striking pacts with the Tories "at any level". Mrs Badenoch told BBC Breakfast: "I've seen Conservatives go into coalition with Labour, with Liberal Democrats, with Independents.

"You don't get to have a rerun of an election at local level, so what I'm telling local leaders across the country is they have to do what is right for the people in their local area."

Mrs Badenoch added that local Tories would also need to "stick to Conservative principles" such as "sound money" and "not excessive government intervention".

But Clacton MP Mr Farage went on to reject the idea, saying: "The Tories broke Britain nationally for 14 years, and their councils continue to break local communities with the highest taxes ever and worst services.

"Reform have no intention in forming coalitions with the Tories at any level.

"We encourage everyone who wants real change to vote Reform on May 1."

It comes as the Conservatives are facing a tough fight at the town hall ballots.

Mrs Badenoch's party is defending more than half of the seats up for grabs, having won them in 2021 thanks in part to a Covid vaccine polling bounce.

It is also under pressure from Reform in several areas, with Mr Farage's party consistently outpolling the Conservatives at a national level.

Mrs Badenoch acknowledged that the local elections would be "challenging" following the party's "historic defeat" at last year's general election.

She said: "We can't win everything all the time, but I want people to know that those local Conservatives are working hard for every vote."