Nigel Farage was told to 'man up' by a Reform UK MP after he announced he would not be standing at the General Election. Former Tory party deputy chairman Lee Anderson, who defected to Reform in March, phoned Mr Farage after the former Ukip leader ruled out standing. Mr Anderson, who had already lost the Tory whip, is also understood to have told Mr Farage that he had been the main reason he defected.