Kiss kiss my money goodbye! Holly Valance's husband Nick Candy poses with Nigel Farage after defecting to Reform from the Tories - and pledges to give new party 'seven-figure sum'

By DAVID WILCOCK, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR

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Holly Valance's billionaire property developer husband Nick Candy posed alongside a grinning Nigel Farage today after ditching the Tories - and vowed to hand over a seven-figure donation. 

Mr Candy, 51, who has poured hundreds of thousands of pounds in Conservative coffers, will become Reform's treasurer in the new year, charged with filling its election fighting fund.

Both he and his former singer and actress wife - who had a hit with 'Kiss Kiss' in 2002 - have made little secret of their support for Mr Farage. 

As far ago as 2022 they joined him and incoming US president  Donald Trump for dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Ex-Neighbours star Holly has also hosted fundraisers for Reform and they were in the audience when Mr Farage returned as Party leader earlier this year. 

Posing for pictures with leader Nigel Farage in Westminster this morning, Mr Candy was asked whether he would be donating any of his own money to the party.

'Of course,' he replied.

Asked how much, he said he would be giving a 'seven-figure sum'.

Mr Candy, 51, who has poured hundreds of thousands of pounds in Conservative coffers, will become Reform's treasurer in the new year, charged with filling its election fighting fund.

Mr Candy, 51, who has poured hundreds of thousands of pounds in Conservative coffers, will become Reform's treasurer in the new year, charged with filling its election fighting fund.

Both he and his former singer and actress wife have made little secret of their support for Mr Farage. As far ago as 2022 they joined him and incoming US president Donald Trump for dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida .

Both he and his former singer and actress wife have made little secret of their support for Mr Farage. As far ago as 2022 they joined him and incoming US president Donald Trump for dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida .

Ex-Neighbours star Holly has also hosted fundraisers for Reform and they were in the audience when Mr Farage returned as Party leader earlier this year.

Ex-Neighbours star Holly has also hosted fundraisers for Reform and they were in the audience when Mr Farage returned as Party leader earlier this year.

Announcing his defection last night, Mr Candy cited 'too many broken promises and a complete breach of trust' as he turned in his membership.

He said: 'I have today resigned my membership of the Conservative Party after many years of active support and substantial donations to the party. I am sorry to say there have been too many broken promises and a complete breach of trust with the wealth creators in our country.

'Nigel Farage is a close personal friend of mine, and Reform UK represents the future of British politics.'

Mr Candy had already made his displeasure with the Conservatives known in February, when he accepted it was 'probably time for a change' as calls for an election intensified. 

Reform UK currently has five MPs in the House of Commons. This latest defection to Reform UK sees its new fundraiser follow former Conservative MPs Andrea Jenkyns and Lee Anderson to the new party, alongside Boris Johnson's former adviser Tim Montgomerie.

The property tycoon praised Keir Starmer as a 'decent man with good values and good morals' earlier this year.

His wife Holly Valance has also appeared at Reform UK events in 2024.

Mr Farage said: 'I warmly welcome this decision. We are the fastest-growing movement in British politics today, and Nick's efforts will help Reform UK transform our country.'

Mr Candy's defection to Reform UK follows Suella Braverman's husband, Rael, who is to become a senior campaigner for Nigel Farage's party.

Mr Candy and his brother purchased their first property in 1995, a one-bedroom flat in London, using a £6,000 loan from their grandmother – and went on to become self-made billionaires. 

Announcing his defection, Mr Candy cited ‘too many broken promises and a complete breach of trust’ as he turned in his Conservative membership.

Announcing his defection, Mr Candy cited 'too many broken promises and a complete breach of trust' as he turned in his Conservative membership.

Holly Valance was spotted in a blue cowboy hat and glasses as she attended Reform UK's conference in Birmingham in September

Holly Valance was spotted in a blue cowboy hat and glasses as she attended Reform UK's conference in Birmingham in September

Valance, known for playing the role of Flick Scully on TV's Neighbours, was strongly tipped to run for Reform in the Basildon and Billericay seat at July's general election.

She did not end up standing in the Essex constituency and told GB News a bid to become an MP this summer 'was not right for me at the time'.

But the 41-year-old left the door open to being a Reform election candidate in the future.

She was spotted in a blue cowboy hat and glasses as she attended Reform UK's conference in Birmingham in September.

Valance also told LBC radio she had donated around £100,000 to Reform.

She and Candy were both seen at the Reform conference at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre.

There have previously been signs of a political split in their household, with the billionaire businessman a former Tory donor who backed Labour at the general election.

Earlier this year, Candy admitted he was 'naturally a Tory' but praised Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer as 'a decent man with good values' and said it was 'time for a change'. 

Nigel FarageNick CandyHolly ValanceReform UK

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