UKIP leader Nigel Farage dined with Rupert Murdoch this week and is understood to have told the media baron that he hopes to win half of the seats in next year’s European election, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Farage is believed to have told Murdoch that he would be interested in forming an electoral pact with the Tories should David Cameron resign as PM.
The news comes after UKIP beat the Tories into third place in last month’s Eastleigh by-elections.
Murdoch, who is believed to have angst about David Cameron, hasn’t met the PM after the phone hacking scandal.
Murdoch tweeted praise for Farage saying the UKIP leader was “reflecting opinion”.
Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, few excellent, frustrated ministers. Farage reflectingopinion. Florence mayor Renzi brilliant young Italian.
— Rupert Murdoch(@rupertmurdoch) March 7, 2013
Murdoch is also understood to have hosted a private dinner for Owen Paterson, a Right-wing Eurosceptic member of the Cabinet, earlier this week.
Meanwhile, a UKIP spokesman did not reveal any details about Farage’s dinner with Murdoch to LondonlovesBusiness.com, however he confirmed it took place.
However, the spokesman denied that UKIP was the source of the news as reported by the Daily Telegraph.
