Time will inform if Robert Jenrick is the kind of MP who offers politicians a foul identify, Nigel Farage has stated.
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It comes after Sam Coates obtained a leaked recording of Mr Jenrick, who got here second within the Tory management vote, telling a pupil occasion final month he’s “determined” for the struggle from the precise towards Labour “to be united”.
In withering remarks to Sam Coates on Thursday, Mr Farage questioned whether or not Mr Jenrick actually means what he says.
Requested if he would welcome him into Reform UK, the Clacton MP stated: “Possibly… if we thought he was real, sure.
“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.”
Requested what he means by real, Mr Farage stated: “You and I each know there are folks in politics who’re there by means of conviction and there are folks in politicians who’re there as a result of they need attain rank, place and all that comes with that.
“Im really still not sure about Jenrick, to be honest with you, I’m really not sure.
“It is nearly like an in a single day conversion, saying an entire host of issues that he did otherwise when he was in authorities.”
Asked if he thinks Mr Jenrick is the sort of person who gives politicians a bad name, Mr Farage said: “Time will show that. On the minute, I am 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.”
Within the leaked recording, Mr Jenrick might be heard saying he would attempt “one way or another” to verify Reform UK and the Tories don’t compete at one other normal election and hand a second time period in workplace to Sir Keir Starmer within the course of.
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1:56
What leaked audio of Jenrick tells us
Mr Jenrick has since denied any suggestion that this implies he’s advocating a Tory-Reform UK pact.
Mr Farage was clear that it will not be occurring anyway, as he accused Mr Jenrick of “shaping up” to be the following Conservative chief.
“It’s not happening, our voters came to us from the Conservatives because they felt so betrayed by the Conservatives,” he stated.
“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.”
Requested when he final spoke to him, he stated that was yesterday, including: “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 imply he is clearly shaping himself as much as be the following chief of the Conservative Celebration. He would not care what inside division he causes inside the Parliamentary Celebration. However he is really mistaken. We’re not going to do a take care of a Conservative Celebration that gave us file tax ranges because the battle, mass migration, I imply I may go on.”
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1:26
PM questions Badenoch on Jenrick audio at PMQs
Nevertheless, he stated that joking apart, he has not had a substantive dialog with the Tories this yr.
The Reform chief stated his social gathering’s precedence was “to win the next election” and the concept that Reform and Conservative supporters will agree on the identical issues “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 stated.
Mr Farage’s feedback differ to his deputy Mr Tice.
Nevertheless, he prolonged a praise to Mr Jenrick, telling him: “Robert, you’re saying some good things on justice. But you’re in the wrong party, chap.”
