Conservative leadership rifts over Reform UK comments, with Kemi Badenoch denying claims of a split with Robert Jenrick over potential electoral pact.
Kemi Badenoch has denied claims of a rift with shadow justice secretary ‘Robert Jenrick’ over whether the party should form a pact with Reform UK. The Conservative leader has always ruled out such a deal, arguing that Nigel Farage‘s party is seeking to destroy the Tories.
Kemi Badenoch is a British politician and Member of Parliament for Saffron Walden.
Born on January 2, 1974, in London, England, she has been a member of the Conservative Party since 2005.
Badenoch served as the Chair of the Equalities Forum from 2010 to 2012 and was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families in 2021.
She is known for her advocacy on issues such as education, family values, and social justice.
Jenrick’s comments in a leaked recording obtained by Sky News suggest he wants the ‘fight’ against Labour at the next general election to be ‘united’ and is determined to ‘bring this coalition together’. The story was seized on by Labour and the Lib Dems, who urged Badenoch to sack her former leadership rival from the Tory frontbench for contradicting her.
Robert Jenrick is a British Conservative politician serving as the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government since February 2020.
Prior to his ministerial role, he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Newark from 2014 to 2019.
Jenrick has also served as a member of the UK Parliament's Public Administration Committee and the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.
He is known for his involvement in various policy areas, including housing, planning, and local government reform.
However, Jenrick’s spokesman insisted there were no differences between them. ‘Kemi Badenoch has made perfectly clear there will be absolutely no electoral pact with Reform,’ he said. ‘If you actually read the shadow justice secretary’s words, he is saying he is working to defeat Reform.’ The coalition he’s talking about is of centre-right voters and bringing them together.
The Reform UK party, formerly known as the Brexit Party, was formed in January 2021 by a group of MPs who broke away from the Conservative Party.
The party's primary objective is to promote 'Brexit' and reform the UK's governance structure.
Led by Richard Tice and Ann Widdecombe, the party aims to challenge the Conservative Party's dominance and offer an alternative vision for Britain's future.
With a focus on reducing bureaucracy and promoting economic growth, Reform UK seeks to appeal to voters who feel disillusioned with mainstream politics.
The spokesman also denied claims that Badenoch should ‘rein in’ Jenrick for writing articles and speeches that went beyond his shadow ministerial brief. ‘It is fine for shadow cabinet members and MPs to talk about things that are in the advancement of the Conservative Party,’ he said.
Despite the denial, Jenrick’s comments have raised questions about the internal dynamics within the Conservative party. A source close to Jenrick told PA Media on Wednesday that he had no differences with his party leader on ruling out a pact with Reform. ‘Rob’s comments are about voters and not parties,’ they said. ‘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.
