Suella Braverman has reversed her position on forming an alliance between Reform UK and the Conservative Party to unite the right ahead of the next election. Since joining Reform in January as education spokesperson, Braverman had advocated for cooperation between the two parties to defeat the left. However, she dismissed any possibility of such a coalition on Saturday.

In remarks to The Times, Braverman sharply criticized the Conservative Party, accusing it of failing to deliver on key promises, particularly on immigration. She stated that the Conservatives "utterly betrayed the British people" by failing to stop the arrival of small boats crossing the English Channel, a central issue for both her and Reform. While she acknowledged that the Conservative Party now shares many of Reform’s policy goals—such as banning hate marches, leaving the European Convention on Human Rights to curb illegal crossings, and tightening visa controls—she argued that the Tories are too slow to act and that she is less patient with delays.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage had previously expressed openness to the idea of cooperating with the Conservatives. When asked in April whether the two parties might form a pact or coalition, Farage responded cautiously, saying, “let’s see.” Despite this, last weekend Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch firmly rejected the idea, describing a coalition between the Tories and Reform as “monstrous” during an interview at the Edinburgh Fringe festival. Badenoch warned that such a partnership would alienate as many voters as it might attract, highlighting Reform’s internal divisions and their frequent challenges to the Conservative Party.

“You cannot work with people like that,” Badenoch said, referring to Farage and his unpredictable leadership style. She also emphasized the difficulties in aligning with a party whose positions and tactics, in her view, lack consistency.

Additionally, Braverman ruled out any collaboration with Restore Britain, another right-wing party founded by Rupert Lowe, who was expelled from Reform last year. Though Farage had indicated an “open-minded” approach to working with Restore earlier this month, Braverman’s comments suggest that Reform is not pursuing broader alliances beyond the Conservatives at this time.

The next London mayoral election is scheduled for May 2028, providing the broader context for these ongoing discussions about right-wing party cooperation ahead of key contests.