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Robert Jenrick has refused to rule out an electoral pact between the Conservatives and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK as the party surges in the polls.
The former Tory leadership contender insisted Mr Farage’s party “have no intention” of seeking a deal, but would not rule an agreement out himself.
After the insurgent right-wing party overtook the Tories in the polls, shadow justice secretary Mr Jenrick opened a divide between himself and Kemi Badenoch, who is strongly against the idea.
She has previously ruled out such a move, saying Mr Farage “wants to destroy the Conservative Party”. “Why on earth would we merge with that?” she asked.
But, repeatedly questioned on The Sun’s Never Mind The Ballots show, Mr Jenrick left the door open to a future deal with Reform, refusing to shut the door on any agreement.
He said: “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.”
Mr Jenrick added: “My whole mission is to bring home all the small-c Conservatives in this country back to the Conservative Party. We should be their natural home. We’re not at the moment, because of the mistakes we made in office. It can be done.”
The interview will fuel speculation a merger, or a non-aggression pact at least, between the two parties is on the horizon.
A Conservative Party spokesman was quick to downplay the idea, saying “reports of a Tory-Reform pact are complete and utter nonsense”.
“The Conservative Party will not negotiate with people who want to destroy us,” the spokesman added.
And Reform hit back, ruling out a deal. A spokesman for the party said: “Reform UK have been explicitly clear, we are not interested in doing a deal with the Tories.
“They have failed the country for 14 years and can never be trusted ever again.
“The Tories ran the UK into the ground and Labour are now continuing this trend with high taxes, high immigration and low wages.”
It comes after Reform emerged as the most popular UK political party in a YouGov poll for the first time on Monday, leap-frogging both Labour and the Conservatives.
Labour MPs have launched a fightback against the party, using planted questions in the Commons to attack Mr Farage and demanding tougher action from Sir Keir Starmer on immigration and crime.
And Ms Badenoch announced in her first major policy as Tory leader that the Conservatives would make immigrants wait at least 15 years before they become eligible for British citizenship, in an apparent bid to stem the rise of Reform.
Warning of the potential tie-up between the rival parties, a Labour spokesman said: “The cat is out the bag: the Tories won’t rule out doing a dodgy backroom deal with Reform.
“The Conservatives wrecked public services and Nigel Farage plans to charge NHS patients thousands for routine treatments. Just imagine what they’d do together.”
Any agreement between Reform and the Conservatives under Ms Badenoch appears unlikely after a public spat between the pair over membership numbers after Christmas.
When Mr Farage’s party overtook the Tories in members, Ms Badenoch accused him of “fakery”.
The Reform leader hit back and said Ms Badenoch was peddling “disgraceful accusations of fraud and dishonesty”.
But, with the Tories failing to capitalise on Labour’s sharp decline in popularity, there is also questions about whether Ms Badenoch will keep her job through to the general election.
Asked by The Sun whether the Conservatives would be polling better with him as leader, Mr Jenrick declined to answer.
He said: “Kemi is our leader. I chose to serve in the shadow cabinet because I believe she would be a success and she is working extremely hard. It’s going to be a long road.”
