Long-serving Tory Open to Reform UK Co-operation as Badenoch Rejects Alliance

Key Points

• Sir John Hayes, the Conservative MP for South Holland and The Deepings since 1997, has suggested that future co-operation between the Conservative Party and Reform UK remains possible.
• Hayes said Reform UK was “not capable of governing on their own” but described the two parties as being “on the same side” in their opposition to Labour.
• Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has rejected the prospect of joining forces with Nigel Farage’s party, describing Reform UK as being “neck deep in scandal”.
• Badenoch told the BBC that she would prefer another general election if no party secured an overall majority.
• Hayes confirmed that he had been approached several times about joining Reform UK and acknowledged that he had been tempted, while insisting that he remained a Conservative “root and branch”.
• The veteran MP identified financial difficulties and disagreements within Reform UK as concerns about the party.
• Badenoch told the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham that Reform voters deserved better and described them as people her party had let down.
• Hayes also renewed his opposition to large solar farms on agricultural land in Lincolnshire, arguing that renewable energy projects should instead use buildings and lower-grade land.
• Lincolnshire County Council is pursuing legal challenges against the Springwell Solar Farm and Beacon Fen Energy Park.
• The political disagreement highlights different approaches within the Conservative Party towards Reform UK, while local disputes over renewable energy remain an important issue in Hayes’s constituency.

France News7 (FN7) October 9, 2026 – Conservative MP Sir John Hayes has suggested that the Conservative Party could consider co-operation with Reform UK in the future, exposing a difference of approach between the veteran backbencher and party leader Kemi Badenoch. Speaking during a Hotseat interview on BBC Radio Lincolnshire, Hayes said Reform UK was not capable of governing independently but argued that the two parties shared common ground in opposing Labour. His comments came after Badenoch publicly rejected an alliance with Nigel Farage’s party during the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. Hayes also discussed his longstanding Conservative identity, his relationships with Reform politicians and his opposition to large solar farms on agricultural land in Lincolnshire.

The central development is a disagreement over whether the Conservatives should maintain a firm separation from Reform UK or leave open the possibility of future political co-operation. Hayes has not announced a decision to defect, and his comments do not constitute an agreement between the parties. Instead, he has indicated that collaboration could be considered in future circumstances, despite the Conservative leadership’s stated opposition to joining forces with Reform.

Why Has Sir John Hayes Suggested Co-operation With Reform UK?

According to the BBC Radio Lincolnshire interview described in the supplied report, Hayes said Reform UK and the Conservatives were “on the same side” in their opposition to Labour. However, he qualified his position by saying Reform was “not capable of governing on their own”.

His remarks distinguish between political alignment on particular issues and the ability to run a government. Hayes acknowledged common ground between the parties while questioning Reform UK’s readiness to govern independently.

He said: “The possibilities of collaboration and cooperation are for the future.”

The statement leaves the nature of any potential co-operation undefined. Hayes did not specify whether he was referring to a formal electoral arrangement, an understanding between MPs in a hung parliament or a broader relationship between the parties.

His comments also do not establish that the Conservative Party as a whole is considering a change in policy. Badenoch has publicly taken a different position, meaning that any future movement towards an agreement would require a political decision beyond Hayes’s individual views.

The distinction matters because cooperation between parties can take different forms. It may involve shared parliamentary objectives, negotiations over government formation or a more formal arrangement. Hayes’s reported comments did not commit him to any particular model.

How Has Kemi Badenoch Responded to the Prospect of an Alliance?

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has rejected the prospect of joining forces with Reform UK, setting out a position that contrasts with Hayes’s openness to future collaboration.

In remarks to the BBC earlier in the week, Badenoch described Farage’s party as being “neck deep in scandal”. She argued that joining forces with Reform would bring additional difficulties for the Conservatives rather than provide a reliable route to government.

When asked about the possibility of a hung parliament following a general election, Badenoch said: “If you want Conservative, you have to vote Conservative.”

She added that she had said the country would have another election if no party secured an overall majority.

Her response indicates that she wants the Conservatives to seek a governing mandate in their own right rather than depend on an agreement with Reform UK. The position also creates a clear distinction between the party leadership’s public strategy and Hayes’s willingness to discuss possible future cooperation.

The Associated Press, reporting on Badenoch’s Conservative Party conference position in October 2026, likewise described her as ruling out an alliance with Reform UK. Its account placed the decision within the Conservatives’ efforts to rebuild following their heavy defeat in the 2024 general election, when the party was reduced to 121 seats in Parliament.

AP News

The disagreement therefore comes at a time when the Conservatives are seeking to recover political support while competing with Reform UK for voters who favour right-of-centre policies.

What Did Badenoch Say to Reform UK Voters at the Conservative Conference?

Speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, Badenoch sought to appeal directly to voters who had moved away from the Conservatives towards Reform UK.

She said Reform voters “deserve better” and acknowledged that many had previously supported the Conservative Party.

“They are ‘our people’ who the Conservative Party has let down,” she said, according to the supplied BBC report.

Badenoch added: “We want them to come back home.”

However, she also stressed the distinction between the two political organisations, saying: “They are not like us, we are not like them, we are different, we are the Conservative Party.”

Her remarks combined an appeal to former Conservative voters with a rejection of an organisational alliance. Rather than treating Reform UK as a prospective coalition partner, she presented the Conservatives as a separate party seeking to regain support in its own name.

The approach reflects a political challenge for Badenoch: winning back voters who have become dissatisfied with the Conservatives without abandoning the identity she wants the party to maintain.

The Guardian’s coverage of the 2026 Conservative conference also described Badenoch’s strategy as an attempt to strengthen the party’s position while differentiating it from Reform UK. Its reporting noted the difficulty of appealing to voters on the right without alienating other parts of the electorate.

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Hayes’s remarks illustrate that the question of how to respond to Reform is not necessarily settled in the same way among all Conservative politicians.

Why Has Hayes Ruled Out Joining Reform UK for Now?

Hayes, 68, has represented South Holland and The Deepings in Lincolnshire since 1997. His long parliamentary career has made him a longstanding figure within the Conservative Party, and his comments indicate that his relationship with Reform UK does not amount to an intention to leave the Conservatives.

According to the supplied BBC Radio Lincolnshire report, Hayes said he had been approached many times about joining Reform UK. He also said he got on well with Nigel Farage and Richard Tice, Reform UK’s MP for the neighbouring Boston and Skegness constituency.

Hayes acknowledged that he had been tempted to join the party but insisted that he remained committed to the Conservatives.

“I was a root and branch Tory,” he said, describing his political identity.

He also explained that he knew several people in Reform UK, including former political associates who had once worked closely with him.

“Some of my former proteges are in Reform – Robert Jenrick, Suella [Braverman] and Danny Kruger too,” Hayes said.

He added that his own political views had long been close to theirs, while emphasising that he believed Reform UK had significant problems.

These remarks indicate that Hayes recognises ideological similarities between himself and some Reform politicians. However, he has also drawn a distinction between sharing political positions and accepting membership of a different party.

His comments do not establish that he intends to change his affiliation. Instead, they suggest that he is prepared to discuss a possible future relationship between the parties while remaining a Conservative MP.

What Concerns Has Hayes Raised About Reform UK?

Although Hayes acknowledged common political ground with Reform UK, he also identified problems that he believed affected the party.

He referred to what he described as “pitfalls” involving finances and disagreements with individuals.

The comments are significant because they qualify his apparent openness to cooperation. Hayes did not present Reform UK as a straightforward alternative for Conservative politicians dissatisfied with their own party.

His criticism of the party’s capacity to govern independently also suggests that he distinguishes between its ability to attract support and its ability to manage government responsibilities.

However, the supplied report does not provide a detailed breakdown of the financial matters or internal disagreements Hayes was referring to. It would therefore be inappropriate to attribute specific financial irregularities or disputes to his comments without further evidence.

Badenoch’s criticism has been more direct. Her description of Reform UK as being “neck deep in scandal” demonstrates that she sees the party’s controversies as a reason to reject cooperation.

The two Conservatives have consequently emphasised different aspects of the same political question. Hayes has highlighted shared opposition to Labour while identifying weaknesses within Reform UK. Badenoch has focused on the risks of association and the importance of preserving a separate Conservative identity.

How Could a Hung Parliament Affect the Debate Over Co-operation?

A hung parliament occurs when no political party wins an overall majority of seats in the House of Commons. Under such circumstances, the formation of a government can involve negotiations and arrangements between political parties.

The possibility is relevant to Hayes’s comments because he has left the door open to future cooperation, while Badenoch has stated that she would prefer another general election if the Conservatives could not secure an overall majority.

Neither position establishes what would happen after a future election. The outcome would depend on the distribution of parliamentary seats, the positions adopted by party leaders and any subsequent negotiations.

Badenoch’s stated approach places emphasis on securing a separate Conservative mandate. Hayes’s remarks, by contrast, indicate that he does not consider future collaboration with Reform UK entirely out of the question.

A formal alliance would be a different matter from MPs supporting similar policies or voting in the same way on individual parliamentary issues. The supplied report does not establish that either party has begun negotiations over a coalition or electoral agreement.

For voters, the distinction is important. Political similarities do not automatically mean that two parties will agree to share power, and an individual MP’s comments cannot be treated as a declaration of party policy.

The debate nevertheless demonstrates that the relationship between the Conservatives and Reform UK remains a significant question for the British right.

Why Is the Dispute Significant for the Conservative Party?

The disagreement comes against the background of the Conservatives’ efforts to recover from their 2024 general election defeat and respond to Reform UK’s challenge for right-of-centre voters.

The Associated Press reported during the October 2026 Conservative conference that Badenoch was attempting to present her party as a renewed political force, emphasising unity and a distinct programme while ruling out an alliance with Reform UK.

AP News

That approach requires the Conservatives to address dissatisfaction among voters who have turned to Reform without necessarily accepting Farage’s party as a partner.

Hayes’s position highlights the difficulty of maintaining a consistent approach across a party whose members may share some objectives with Reform UK but disagree about how to deal with it.

For Conservative MPs, the question involves both political principles and electoral strategy. Some may regard cooperation as a possible means of advancing shared priorities. Others may consider a formal arrangement incompatible with their party’s identity or believe that association with Reform would create additional political problems.

Hayes has not claimed to speak for the entire parliamentary party. His remarks are best understood as an individual intervention in an ongoing political debate rather than evidence that the Conservative leadership is preparing to change its policy.

The immediate difference between him and Badenoch remains clear: he is open to discussing future cooperation, while she has publicly rejected joining forces with Reform UK.

What Has Hayes Said About Solar Farms on Agricultural Land?

Alongside his comments about Reform UK, Hayes used his BBC Radio Lincolnshire interview to reiterate his opposition to large solar farms built on agricultural land.

The former energy minister, who held the role from September 2012 until March 2013, said he was “fiercely opposed” to solar farms on agricultural land and would “fight them tooth and nail”.

He acknowledged the importance of renewable energy but argued that developers should prioritise other locations.

“Solar is important, renewables do matter but, for heaven’s sake, put them on buildings and low-grade land,” he said.

He also stated: “I will fight this battle relentlessly.”

His comments concern a series of proposed or approved large-scale energy developments in Lincolnshire, including Meridian Solar Farm near Spalding, which is in his constituency.

The issue places Hayes alongside local opponents who argue that major solar developments could affect agricultural land, rural communities and the landscape. His position, as reported by the BBC, is that renewable energy should be developed without unnecessarily sacrificing productive farmland.

However, opposition to a project and its formal planning status are separate matters. The status of each development must be established from its individual planning decision and any subsequent legal proceedings.

What Is the Position on Springwell Solar Farm?

Springwell Solar Farm has been the subject of a legal challenge by Lincolnshire County Council and North Kesteven District Council.

According to Lincolnshire County Council, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero approved the development on 8 April 2026. The proposed project would cover approximately 1,280 hectares near Scopwick in North Kesteven and was described by the councils as potentially the UK’s largest solar farm.

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The councils raised concerns about the potential impact on rural villages and landscapes, the use of high-quality agricultural land and the cumulative effect of several major energy projects in the county.

A judicial review is a legal process through which a court examines the lawfulness of a public decision. It does not automatically mean that the decision will be overturned.

In this case, the councils’ challenge concerns the process by which approval was granted. The legal proceedings therefore need to be distinguished from a final court ruling on the development’s future.

What Is the Position on Beacon Fen Energy Park?

Beacon Fen Energy Park is another large development that has faced opposition from Lincolnshire County Council.

The council announced on 2 October 2026 that it had submitted a claim for judicial review challenging the Government’s decision to approve the project on 21 August.

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According to the council, the proposed development covers more than 700 hectares and includes solar panels, battery storage and a substation near Heckington.

The council said it was concerned about the development’s effects on local communities, the rural landscape and agricultural land, as well as the cumulative impact of multiple large projects in Lincolnshire.

The authority has also raised concerns about whether sufficient weight was given to these matters during the decision-making process.

The judicial review is a challenge to the Government’s decision, rather than evidence that approval has already been cancelled. The legal process will determine whether the challenge can proceed and, if it does, how the court rules on the grounds raised.

Together with the Springwell proceedings, the Beacon Fen challenge illustrates the continuing dispute over how large energy infrastructure projects should be balanced against local environmental and agricultural concerns.

How Could the Political and Solar Farm Disputes Affect Lincolnshire Residents?

Hayes’s comments touch on two different issues that may matter to residents in his constituency and across Lincolnshire.

The first concerns the relationship between the Conservative Party and Reform UK. Although this is a national political question, its eventual consequences could influence the policies presented to voters, the direction of the opposition and the choices available at a future general election.

The second is more directly connected to local planning and land use. The development of large solar farms can involve decisions about agricultural land, energy generation, infrastructure, landscape changes and the concerns of nearby communities.

Hayes has made clear that he opposes placing solar farms on productive farmland and favours alternative locations. However, the final position of each project depends on its planning status and any applicable legal proceedings, not solely on the views of an individual MP.

For residents, it is important to distinguish between political statements, planning objections and formal decisions. Each can influence the public debate, but they have different consequences.

The council’s legal challenges also mean that the future of the projects cannot be determined simply from the fact that approval has been granted or challenged. Further legal decisions may be necessary before the position becomes clear.

Background: What Is Driving the Disagreement Over Reform UK and Solar Farms?

The debate over cooperation between the Conservatives and Reform UK reflects a wider contest for support among right-of-centre voters in Britain.

Following the Conservatives’ defeat in the 2024 general election, Badenoch has sought to rebuild the party while differentiating it from Reform UK. Her rejection of an alliance is consistent with a strategy that emphasises the Conservatives as a separate political organisation.

Hayes’s comments show that some Conservative politicians are prepared to consider a different approach. Nevertheless, his position remains personal, and he has explicitly stated that he continues to identify with the Conservative Party.

The solar farm dispute has a separate background in the Government’s planning process for nationally significant infrastructure projects. Under this system, major developments are examined through a national process, with the relevant Secretary of State making the final decision on development consent.

Lincolnshire County Council has argued that the combined effect of multiple projects requires careful consideration of agricultural land, rural communities and the landscape. The Springwell and Beacon Fen challenges concern the lawfulness of the respective approval processes and the weight given to the objections raised.

These developments form the local context for Hayes’s opposition to solar farms on agricultural land. His position is consistent with the concerns he has expressed about where renewable energy infrastructure should be located, while the legal status of each project remains a matter for the relevant proceedings.

Prediction: What Could Happen Next for Conservative Voters and Lincolnshire Communities?

For Conservative voters, Hayes’s intervention is likely to keep the question of future cooperation with Reform UK in the political debate. However, it does not establish that the Conservatives will change their position or that a formal alliance will be negotiated. Badenoch’s public rejection of cooperation remains the clearest statement of the party leadership’s approach in the supplied reporting.

Any change would require further political developments, such as a change in the leadership’s position or negotiations following an election. Until then, voters should distinguish Hayes’s personal view from official Conservative policy.

For Reform UK, the comments demonstrate that at least one long-serving Conservative MP sees common ground between the parties. At the same time, Hayes’s concerns about Reform’s ability to govern and its internal difficulties show that ideological similarities do not necessarily translate into support for a merger or alliance.

For Lincolnshire residents, the immediate outlook on solar farms will depend on the planning and legal processes affecting each development. The judicial reviews concerning Springwell Solar Farm and Beacon Fen Energy Park could affect their respective planning outcomes, but no assumption should be made that either project will automatically be cancelled.

The disputes are also likely to keep agricultural land, local consultation and the cumulative effects of energy infrastructure in focus as the projects progress through the relevant processes.

For landowners, farmers and residents, the practical consequences will depend on the final decisions and any legal rulings. For political observers, the next significant development will be whether the Conservative leadership maintains its rejection of Reform UK cooperation or whether the question returns to the forefront as electoral circumstances change.