Andrew Pierce and Richard Tice were embroiled in a feisty clash on GB News as the pair assessed Reform UK’s success in last week’s elections.
Tice’s party is increasingly becoming a thorn in the Tories’ side and Thursday’s Blackpool South vote saw them post their best ever by-election result.
But Andrew made it clear on GB News that he is not as enamoured by the insurgent party, citing Andy Street’s narrow defeat in the West Midlands mayoral race.
He told Tice the Tory candidate suffered as a result of Reform’s vote share.
Andrew Pierce and Richard Tice were embroiled in a feisty clash
GB NEWS
“Your lot cost Andy Street the West Midlands”, he said.
“He was a good mayor. I think you would probably agree.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
- Rishi Sunak hit by shock defection just MINUTES before PMQs as Dover MP joins Labour and blasts 'chaotic' Tories
- Ex-England cricketer Monty Panesar unexpectedly drops plans to stand at election for George Galloway's party
- Robert Jenrick demands 'incapable' Home Office be BROKEN UP in scathing migration intervention
Tice fired back: “No I don’t actually. He was pro HS2 which is a massive white elephant. It cost the country tens of billions of pounds.
“On that basis alone, he deserved to be fired. The reality is, we believe in competition. Street wants the party to go to the left, forget that, why do you think it’s doing so badly?
“It’s a socialist party, it’s just like the Labour Party.”
Andrew then commented on the vote share accrued by Reform, saying “you only got 30,000 votes”, a result he branded “pathetic”.
Lee Anderson has defected from the Tories to join Reform
PA
Richard Tice addressed the possibility of a return to politics for Nigel Farage
GB News
“Either you believe in competition or you don’t”, Tice said.
Pierce went on to probe Tice about his party’s success elsewhere, asking: “What did you get in London?”
Tice said the capital’s proportional representation voting system helped Reform deliver its first London Assembly member, which he was “delighted” about.
“In Blackpool South, we got the highest ever”, he added.
“We got within 60 people of beating the Tories, it’s happening whether you like it or not.
“In the north, in the locals, we are now the party of opposition to Labour, the Tories are sinking, which you may not like.”
The latter comment was a moment of common ground for the warring pair as Pierce said the Tories “deserve to sink” as they have been “useless”.
The conversation soon moved onto the party’s honorary president, Nigel Farage, who Andrew said would have helped Reform perform “a lot better”.
Tice responded: “It’s very exciting. Nigel has a big decision to make.
“Time is ticking by and Nigel will make a decision in due course. He was thrilled with the results.”