Time will tell if Robert Jenrick is the sort of MP who gives politicians a bad name, Nigel Farage has said.
In an exclusive interview with Sky News’ deputy political editor Sam Coates, the Reform UK leader suggested the shadow justice secretary would not be welcome in his party as he is not sure if he is “genuine”.
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The comments differ from that of deputy Reform UK leader Richard Tice, who yesterday told Sky News Mr Jenrick is saying “good things on justice” but is “in the wrong party”.
It comes after Sam Coates obtained a leaked recording of Mr Jenrick, who came second in the Tory leadership vote, telling a student event last month he is “determined” for the fight from the right against Labour “to be united”.
In withering remarks to Sam Coates on Thursday, Mr Farage questioned whether Mr Jenrick really means what he says.
Asked if he would welcome him into Reform UK, the Clacton MP said: “Maybe… if we thought he was genuine, yes.
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“Don’t forget…this is Robert ‘Generic’. This is Robert the Remainer. This is the Robert the, I don’t stand particularly for anything at all, who suddenly appears to be.. on this Damascene Conversion.”
Asked what he means by genuine, Mr Farage said: “You and I both know there are people in politics who are there through conviction and there are people in politicians who are there because they want reach rank, position and all that comes with that.
“Im really still not sure about Jenrick, to be honest with you, I’m really not sure.
“It’s almost like an overnight conversion, saying a whole host of things that he did differently when he was in government.”
Asked if he thinks Mr Jenrick is the sort of person who gives politicians a bad name, Mr Farage said: “Time will prove that. At the minute, I’m sceptical.
“Look, we’re all allowed, as we get older, to change our positions on things. Of course we are. But his current policy positioning just seems so far removed from everything he’s ever stood for.”
In the leaked recording, Mr Jenrick can be heard saying he would try “one way or another” to make sure Reform UK and the Tories do not compete at another general election and hand a second term in office to Sir Keir Starmer in the process.
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Mr Jenrick has since denied any suggestion that this means he is advocating a Tory-Reform UK pact.
Mr Farage was clear that it would not be happening anyway, as he accused Mr Jenrick of “shaping up” to be the next Conservative leader.
“It’s not happening, our voters came to us from the Conservatives because they felt so betrayed by the Conservatives,” he said.
“Why would we [join forces], given what we’re building here, why would we want to ally to a Conservative Party we don’t agree with and, frankly, we see as a failing brand.”
Asked when he last spoke to him, he said that was yesterday, adding: “I saw him entering the Palace of Westminster. Brand new suit on, I think he’d been to Savile Row. And I said to him, are you on Ozempic Robert?
“I mean he’s clearly shaping himself up to be the next leader of the Conservative Party. He doesn’t care what internal division he causes within the Parliamentary Party. But he’s actually mistaken. We are not going to do a deal with a Conservative Party that gave us record tax levels since the war, mass migration, I mean I could go on.”
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However, he said that joking aside, he has not had a substantive conversation with the Tories this year.
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The Reform leader said his party’s priority was “to win the next election” and the idea that Reform and Conservative supporters will agree on the same things “isn’t going to happen”.
“Most of our members think the Tory party failed despicably in the last government – and I agree with them,” he said.
Mr Farage’s comments differ to his deputy Mr Tice.
Reacting to the leaked recording yesterday, he told Sky News that the Conservatives should “disappear into sort of yesteryear and that “we are at a once in a century moment where a new party is taking over from the Conservatives”.
However, he extended a compliment to Mr Jenrick, telling him: “Robert, you’re saying some good things on justice. But you’re in the wrong party, chap.”
