Kemi Badenoch dismisses claims of a rift with Robert Jenrick over the Reform UK electoral pact

Kemi Badenoch, Conservative leader, has dismissed claims of a rift with shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick after comments he made about forming a potential pact with Reform UK. The controversy erupted following a leaked recording obtained by Sky News, in which Jenrick expressed his desire for a united front in the battle against Labour at the upcoming general election, even suggesting the need to bring together right-wing voters, including those who support Reform UK.

Badenoch, who has repeatedly ruled out any electoral alliance with Nigel Farage’s party, responded firmly to accusations that her leadership was being undermined. Her spokesperson insisted that there was no contradiction between her stance and Jenrick’s remarks. “Kemi Badenoch has made perfectly clear there will be absolutely no electoral pact with Reform,” they stated. The spokesperson further clarified that Jenrick’s comments were not about making deals with Reform UK but rather about uniting centre-right voters in the fight against Labour.

The controversy was magnified by Farage’s response on GB News, where he expressed disdain for any potential deal with Jenrick or the Conservatives. He criticised the Tories for what he described as their failure to reduce taxes and address issues like immigration during their time in power. “Tax is the highest since 1947, the state growing, the civil service growing, mass immigration at levels even Tony Blair couldn’t dream of,” Farage said, emphasising his distrust of the current Conservative leadership.

Jenrick’s comments, made during a local Tory event in March, were seen by some as suggesting that the split between the Conservatives and Reform UK could allow Labour to win the next general election. He argued that the two parties should avoid disunity, warning that Labour could capitalise on a divided right-wing vote. “The nightmare scenario is that Keir Starmer sails in through the middle,” Jenrick said, adding that he was “determined” to unite the conservative forces.

Despite the backlash, Badenoch’s office remained resolute, emphasising that Jenrick’s focus was on ensuring the Tories win back voters who had previously supported Reform UK. “He’s clear we have to put Reform out of business and make the Conservatives the natural home for all those on the right,” the spokesperson remarked. The comments were intended to unify the right-wing electorate rather than suggest an official pact with Reform UK.

Badenoch herself echoed this sentiment when asked about the situation. Speaking to the BBC, she stated that the Tories needed to recover voters who had switched to Reform UK, as well as those who had moved to the Liberal Democrats and Labour. “The Conservatives lost a lot of seats, not just because of Labour doing better, but because we lost a lot of votes to Reform,” she explained. She reiterated that the party’s offer must be a “visibly centre-right, authentic Conservative offer” to draw these voters back.

Jenrick’s remarks have also sparked tensions within the party, with some suggesting that he had gone beyond his role as shadow justice secretary by discussing electoral strategy. However, sources close to Jenrick have downplayed these concerns, stating that his comments were about rebuilding the Conservative coalition of voters rather than negotiating with Reform UK directly. They reiterated that the goal was to position the Conservatives as the party that could once again unite the right-wing electorate.

Despite these tensions, Badenoch remains confident that there is no division in the party’s leadership. “The shadow cabinet is a well-functioning team,” her spokesman concluded, adding that any differences were about strategic disagreements rather than a fundamental rift.