Nigel Farage has accused the Conservative Party of promising jobs and peerages to Brexit Party candidates who agree to stand down ahead of next month's election.
The Brexit Party leader claimed there was a "concerted attempt" from people in Downing Street to persuade candidates to stand down in marginal seats for a seat in the House of Lords.
He claimed Government officials "bypassed me" and went to senior Brexit Party officials, saying they suggested "that eight of them could go into the House of Lords".
Mr Farage reportedly said Number 10 was phoning his candidates to bribe them and that he was considering reporting the Tories to the police over the issue.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Mr Farage said: “I expect there will be police investigations into what has gone on here ... The offer of peerages for material return is clearly an offence. And I think this may unravel over the next couple of days.”
The Conservatives denied Mr Farage's claim, saying no jobs or peerages had been offered.
If true the allegation was true, it would contravene Section 107 Corrupt withdrawal of candidature of the Representation of the People Act.
Shortly after the General Election candidate nominations deadline of 4pm passed, Mr Farage tweeted: “Even Boris Johnson’s Chief Strategic Adviser Sir Edward Lister is calling our candidates and offering them jobs if they withdraw.
"The system is corrupt and broken.”
In a video posted shortly after, he said: “We want what 17.4 million people voted for and we want to change politics for good, because I tell you, having tried the attack, they then tried something that frankly I think is bordering on corruption but it says so much about Westminster and the way things run.
“I’ve said in the past and I’ll say it again, repeatedly it’s been suggested to me that I might like to have a seat in the House of Lords, so that I can go quietly.
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“And every time this gets said my answer is the same – I’m not for sale, I’m not interested, I don’t want anything. I just want to get Brexit delivered.”
He added: “So knowing they couldn’t buy me off, there was a concerted attempt from people who work deep inside Number 10 Downing Street, and I’m not blaming Boris for this – I don’t believe he would be part of this – but it shows you the calibre of people he’s got around him.
"It shows you the culture that exists in Westminster.”
He added: “They bypassed me and went to other senior figures in the Brexit Party, suggesting that eight of them could go into the House of Lords, and all they had to do was come to Nigel and convince him to stand down in a whole load more marginal seats.
“As you can imagine, I said I do not want, and I will never have, anything to do with this kind of behaviour.
“This is what our country has sunk to. This is appalling. This is why politics absolutely needs to change for good.”
Following the Brexit Party leader's claims on Twitter, a Tory source said: “Nigel can’t deliver Brexit, but he could end up blocking it. His outburst is a result of this fact dawning on him.”
Mr Farage had confirmed earlier that he will not stand down any more candidates to help the Tories win a majority.
He added that, if the Conservatives “showed some reciprocity”, more Brexit Party supporters would be likely to support the Tories in the 317 seats in which Brexit Party candidates will not be sitting.
He also accused Boris Johnson’s party of only caring about getting a Conservative majority in Parliament, and not about securing a pro-Leave majority.
The Brexit Party leader said he “very much doubts” he will vote in the upcoming election, and told voters in Hull: “We are going to fight Labour in every seat in this country, be in no doubt.”
Mr Farage’s comments on Twitter came as prominent Brexit Party MEP Rupert Lowe revealed he will not contest Dudley North as the 4pm nominations deadline passed.
After 4pm, the Brexit Party would not have been able to replace Mr Lowe.
The former Southampton FC chairman’s decision comes on the eve of a visit to the town by Mr Farage, who had been expected to lend Mr Lowe his backing.
