The Brexit Party’s candidate in Lincoln has announced that he is standing down from the race to become the city’s next MP – partly due to a “highly persuasive” article in the Daily Mail newspaper.
Reece Wilkes, a University of Lincoln graduate who works as a lawyer, made the announcement following a local hustings debate last night hosted by BBC Radio Lincolnshire and The Lincolnite.
In a letter to his party’s leader, Nigel Farage, published on social media today, Mr Wilkes says that he fears splitting the vote between himself and the Conservative Party – now urging Lincoln voters to back Karl McCartney.
He writes: “I simply cannot be responsible for getting a Labour, remainer MP back into office in Lincoln.
“We must put country before party and that is exaclty what I am doing by backing the Conservative candidate.”
Mr Wilkes cites a recent article in the Daily Mail which discussed concerns about the vote being split between Brexit-backing parties as a partial influencer of his decision.
In the letter, Mr Wilkes also notes the fact that Nigel Farage hasn’t visited Lincoln.
He writes: “It’s quite clear you don’t believe we can win in Lincoln too, as you have visisted Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire but not Lincoln itself during the election.
“This is undertstandable, as focusing on areas where the statistics show a Brexit Party candidate can win, is a pragmatic and effective strategy.
“However, it simply does not inspire confidence in the many supporters I have had asking me why you have not come to Lincoln during the election.”