NIGEL Farage had already offered to help Boris Johnson’s General Election campaign – as long as the Prime Minister agreed to drop his “dreadful” Brexit plan.

Following on from his European Parliamentary elections triumph, which saw the Tories and Labour haemorrhage support as the Brexit Party ascended, reports emerged that some senior Brexit Party figures were “fighting hard” to convince Farage to abandon his stated aim to contest every single UK seat.

At the time, he called any talk of fielding fewer candidates “idle speculation”.

But he did tell the media that he’d be “right behind” his Tory rival if Johnson agreed to axe his “dreadful deal” and backed a No-Deal Brexit, fighting the election “on the basis that we want to just have a ‘trade Europe’ but no political interference”.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon: Scotland’s future at risk of being decided by Nigel Farage

With yesterday’s announcement that the Brexit Party will not challenge Tory-held seats, speculation has increased that Johnson’s Tories, shorn of many moderates and pro-EU figures, will now pursue a harder Brexit.

That’s likely to be music to Donald Trump’s ears. Appearing on Farage’s all-talk show on LBC radio, the US president told his English ally that he should “get together” with Johnson.

In widely-reported remarks, the hotel tycoon said: “I know that you and him will end up doing something that could be terrific if you and he get together as an unstoppable force.”

The move is not the only one of its kind in an election where tactical voting is expected to play a crucial role.

Pro-Remain parties the LibDems, the Green Party and Plaid Cymru have already agreed a deal covering 60 seats across England and Wales. In England, the two-way deal involves the LibDems and Greens, while in each Welsh seat two of the parties will refrain from standing in hopes that the third party will pick up all Remain votes.

Here, the Scottish Greens have decided not to run in three marginal SNP seats, including that held by Stephen Gethins, who retained his North East Fife role last time round by the slimmest of margins – just two votes.

And the Brexit Party decision could benefit Johnson’s team in several areas. These include SNP target Stirling, where Stephen Kerr will defend his 148 majority.

And David Mundell’s tenure in Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale may be more secure without a Brexit Party rival to cut into his 9441 majority there.

Meanwhile, Alister Jack, the man who replaced him as Scottish Secretary, might feel his 5643 majority is safer.

But how will Remain-backing Conservatives respond to their party’s closer ties with Farage?

That association might not lead to the result Johnson wants.