Dropped Brexit Party candidate says Nigel Farage owes him £10,000
A bitter ex-Brexit Party candidate who was sensationally dropped after his party backed out of more than 300 seats has said Nigel Farage owes him £10,000.
Wayne Bayley had been due to stand in Crawley, West Sussex, at the upcoming General Election.
But following yesterday’s announcement that the Brexit Party will not contest more than 300 seats won by the Tories in 2017, Mr Bayley feels left out in the cold.
He said he has an outbuilding stuffed with now-useless Brexit Party campaign leaflets.
Crawley has been held since 2010 by veteran Conservative Henry Smith, who is standing for re-election.
Mr Bayley, a Scientologist and retired pilot, said on Twitter: “I employed a full time campaign coordinator last week on a two month contract which has cost me thousands.
“I also have an outbuilding FULL of Brexit Party leaflets and signs ready for next weeks launch.
“Nigel owes me over TEN GRAND.”
Very disappointed to see Nigel bottle it and back the EU treaty agreed by Boris.
We will now not see Brexit because of Conservative back room deals. https://t.co/8IFog04KO3
— Wayne BayIey (@Wayne_BayIey) November 11, 2019
But despite the pact made by Mr Farage, Mr Bayley has refused to abandon his bid to win the West Sussex seat from the Tories.
Instead he announced that he will be standing as an “Independent Brexit Party candidate”.
A spokesman for The Brexit Party said: “Mr Bayley was given no authority to spend ANYTHING up until the present moment.
“Candidates are given an expenditure grid which allows us to monitor spending when it actually happens.
“The sum of £10,000 is risible.”
Mr Farage had previously threatened to stand candidates in some 600 seats unless Mr Johnson abandoned his withdrawal deal with the EU.
However on Monday the Brexit Party leader said he had taken the “difficult decision” not to contest the 317 seats held by the Tories at the last election amid fears it could lead to a hung Parliament and a second referendum.
Soon after he was announced as the Brexit Party’s Crawley candidate in August, Mr Bayley said: “Crawley is a Brexit city and needs a truly Brexit MP.
“The Conservatives and Labour are washed up remoaners and only I can help deliver Brexit for this wonderful place.”
