UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Shadow Secretary of State for Justice Robert Jenrick pledges to unite Conservatives and Reform UK, aiming to rebuild a united right-wing coalition.
As reported by Sky News, in a leaked recording, Robert Jenrick expressed his intention to bring the Tories and Nigel Farage’s party together to avoid splitting votes in the upcoming election.
What did Robert Jenrick say about Reform UK in the leaked audio?
Speaking to a student audience last month, the Shadow Justice Secretary said he was determined to stop the Tories and Reform UK from clashing in the next election, fearing it could secure Labour another victory.
In a leaked audio, Mr Jenrick states he’s actively working to eliminate Reform UK’s influence, echoing Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch’s position.
During the UCL Conservative Association dinner in late March, he stated,
“[Reform UK] continues to do well in the polls. And my worry is that they become a kind of permanent or semi-permanent fixture on the British political scene. And if that is the case, and I say, I am trying to do everything I can to stop that being the case, then life becomes a lot harder for us, because the right is not united.”
Mr Jenrick said,
“And then you head towards the general election, where the nightmare scenario is that Keir Starmer sails in through the middle as a result of the two parties being disunited. I don’t know about you, but I’m not prepared for that to happen.”
He added,
“I want the fight to be united. And so, one way or another, I’m determined to do that and to bring this coalition together and make sure we unite as a nation as well.”
The shadow justice secretary rejected the notion that he was supporting an electoral pact with Reform UK.
In the last leadership race, he secured second place behind Ms Badenoch and is now favoured by bookies to become the next Tory leader.
What did a source close to Robert Jenrick say about Reform UK and the Tories?
A source within Mr Jenrick’s circle stated,
“Rob’s comments are about voters and not parties. He’s clear we have to put Reform out of business and make the Conservatives the natural home for all those on the right, rebuilding the coalition of voters we had in 2019 and can have again. But he’s under no illusions how difficult that is – we have to prove over time we’ve changed and can be trusted again.”
Nigel Farage views on alliance with the Tories
Last month, Nigel Farage said,
“There is no pact, there is no deal, we’re not the Conservative party. We’re not Tory-lite. We pretty much despise them for their level of betrayal.”
Kemi Badenoch stanc eon pact with Reform UK
The Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, has announced that party councillors are allowed to form alliances with Reform UK in town halls across England.
She rejected the idea of a nationwide alliance with Reform, stating,
“Nigel Farage has said he wants to destroy the Conservative party. When someone says they want to destroy you, you don’t invite them into your house and ask to do a deal.”
According to her, councillors often form local partnerships, including with Labour, Lib Dems, and independents.
Ms Badenoch added,
“You don’t get to have a rerun of an election at local level, so what I’m telling local leaders across the country [is] they have to do what is right for the people in their local area.”
Reform UK to challenge Tories in local elections on May 1
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK will face off against the Conservatives in several local elections across Kent to Lincolnshire next week.
During last year’s general election, Reform UK secured a larger vote share than the margin by which the Tories lost in over 170 of the 251 constituencies they lost.
What did YouGov voting intentions show about Reform UK?
In the recent YouGov/Sky voting intention figures, Reform UK leads with 25%, Labour follows at 23%, the Conservatives stand at 20%, while the Lib Dems have 16% and the Greens 10%.