UK's Johnson gets early Christmas present from Nigel Farage

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is getting an early Christmas present from this man.

Nigel Farage, leader of the right-wing Brexit Party, said he would not challenge Johnson's Conservatives in any of the seats they won in the UK's last election, in the UK's upcoming election, next month.

Instead, he said, he will focus on fighting the main opposition.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) BREXIT PARTY LEADER, NIGEL FARAGE, SAYING:

"The Brexit Party will not contest the 317 seats the Conservatives won at the last election. But what we will do is concentrate our total effort into all of the seats that are held by the Labour Party, who have completely broken their manifesto pledge in 2017 to respect the result of the referendum, and we will also take on the rest of the remainer parties. We will stand up and we will fight them all."

Farage, who said last week he would field 600 candidates, is backed by eurosceptic financiers.

British media reported at the weekend that one of them, Arron Banks, had urged Farage to pull out of hundreds of seats.

The percieved risk was that a right-wing challenge to the Conservatives would split the vote of those who back Brexit, arguably imperilling the UK's exit from the European Union.

By not opposing the Conservatives, the Brexit Party have made it more likely that Johnson will stay on as prime minister. Unsurpisingly, he seems pretty pleased.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, BORIS JOHNSON, SAYING:

"What I can say is that I'm glad that there is a recognition that there's only one way to get Brexit done and that is to vote for us and to vote for the Conservatives."

Rivals say the move effectively make the Conservatives an ally of the Brexit Party, which advocates a hard no-deal Brexit that critics fear would cause an economic disaster.

Sterling strengthened to a six-month high after Farage's announcement as it reduces the chance of a hung parliament.