UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The shadow justice secretary, Robert Jenrick, refrains from rejecting an electoral pact between Conservatives and Reform UK, despite internal party objections.
Amid a rise in polling, Robert Jenrick has not dismissed the possibility of ruling out a future electoral alliance with Nigel Farage’s party.
Will Jenrick back a deal with Farage’s Reform UK despite Kemi Badenoch’s opposition?
Mr Jenrick stated Farage’s party has no intention of allying, though he refused to completely dismiss the possibility of a future agreement.
After the right-wing party surpassed the Tories in recent polling, Mr Jenrick’s stance on a future deal has put him at odds with Kemi Badenoch, who opposes the notion of an electoral pact.
In the past, she has rejected the idea, stating that MMrFarage seeks to “destroy the Conservative Party” and asking, “Why would we ever merge with that?”
Did Robert Jenrick hint at a future deal with Reform UK?
In an interview on The Sun’s Never Mind The Ballots show, Mr Jenrick kept the door open for a potential agreement with Nigel Farage’s party.
He stated,
“Reform themselves are saying they don’t want to. Reform has said repeatedly they have no intention of doing this. Kemi has said she has no intention.”
The shadow justice secretary outlined his goal of reuniting small-c Conservatives with the party, recognizing that previous errors have prevented them from feeling at home but expressing confidence that it’s still possible.
How did the Conservative and Reform UK spokesperson respond to speculation about a deal?
A spokesperson from the Tory party firmly rejected the idea, insisting that claims of an agreement were “absolute nonsense,” adding, “The Conservative Party will not negotiate with people who want to destroy us.”
A Reform UK representative firmly ruled out any deal, criticizing the Tories’ leadership and stating that after 14 years of governance by both major parties, the country remains in economic decline.
What do the latest polls reveal about Reform, Labour, and the Conservatives?
These remarks from Robert Jenrick come after Reform UK surpassed both Labour and the Conservatives in a poll on Monday, emerging as the country’s most popular political party.
The Conservatives are likely to face the greatest impact from the poll, staying in third since YouGov resumed its polling after the last election. According to the Sky News/YouGov survey, Kemi Badenoch has now trailed Nigel Farage when voters were asked about their opinions of the leaders.
The Tory leader also announced her first major policy, revealing plans to make immigrants wait 15 years before they can apply for British citizenship, a move aimed at challenging the rising popularity of Reform.
Can Reform and the Conservatives overcome their dispute over membership numbers?
After a heated dispute over membership numbers after Christmas, any possibility of an agreement between both parties looks to be off the table.
When Nigel Farage’s party exceeded the Tories in members, Ms Badenoch accused him of “fakery.”
The leader of Reform fired back, accusing Ms Badenoch of spreading “disgraceful allegations of fraud and dishonesty.”
In December, Mr Farage met with Elon Musk, along with the party’s new treasurer. Rumours circulated that the Tesla owner was considering a $100 million donation to Reform UK, but Mr Farage later rejected this claim, calling Musk an influential figure for his party in the upcoming elections.
Mr Musk has shown interest in British politics for some time, raising the issue of grooming gangs and criticizing Keir Starmer and the safeguarding minister for not approving a public inquiry into the Oldham child abuse case.