Kemi Badenoch denies rift with Robert Jenrick over Reform feedback

Kemi Badenoch has rejected claims of a rift with shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick over whether or not the birthday celebration will have to shape a pact with Reform UK.

The Conservative chief has all the time dominated out an electoral pact with Reform UK, arguing that Nigel Farage’s birthday celebration is looking for to spoil the Tories.

In a leaked recording received via Sky News, Jenrick stated he sought after the “fight” in opposition to Labour on the subsequent normal election to be “united” and he was once “determined” to “bring this coalition together”.

The tale was once seized on via Labour and the Lib Dems, who steered Badenoch to sack her former management rival for contradicting her – however her spokesman insisted there have been no variations between them.

“Kemi Badenoch has made perfectly clear there will be absolutely no electoral pact with Reform.

“If you if truth be told learn the shadow justice secretary’s phrases, he’s pronouncing he’s operating to defeat Reform. The coalition he is speaking about is of centre-right citizens and bringing them in combination,” the spokesman told reporters.

Asked if Badenoch considered Jenrick a “staff participant”, the spokesman said: “Yes, the shadow cupboard is a well-functioning staff.”

He said Badenoch had not been aware of Jenrick’s comments ahead of them being obtained by Sky, but it was “demonstrably true” that the right is not “united” and that the Tories needed to get millions of voters back from Reform UK.

And he hit back at claims Badenoch, who beat Jenrick to the Tory crown in a vote of members last November, should “rein him in” for writing articles and speeches that went beyond his shadow ministerial brief.

“It is ok for shadow cupboard individuals and MPs to speak about issues which are within the development of the Conservative Party,” he told reporters.

The Tory leader struck a similarly relaxed tone when asked by the BBC if Jenrick was undermining her leadership with his comments on Reform.

“No, by no means,” she spoke back.

“I imply we should be real looking. The Conservatives misplaced numerous seats now not simply as a result of Labour doing higher, however as a result of we misplaced numerous votes to Reform so in fact we would like the ones citizens to come back again to us, simply as those who went to the Lib Dems and Labour we would like them to come back again to us.”

She added that the party could only tempt voters back with a “visibly centre-right, unique Conservative be offering”.

Nigel Farage said Jenrick’s call for a “coalition” of the right “ain’t going down” because he did not trust the Conservatives.

Earlier, at a fiery Prime Minister’s Questions, Badenoch attacked Sir Keir Starmer for missing the “balls” to say what he really thought about the transgender issue.

The PM hit back, saying no Tory MPs thought she would be the Conservative leader at the next general election.

He added that Jenrick – who was absent from the chamber – was “away plotting,” and that he would be left “combating over the bones of the Tory birthday celebration” with Nigel Farage, who he said would “devour the Tory birthday celebration for breakfast”.

In the recording at the centre of the controversy, which was made in March this years at a local Tory event, Jenrick can be heard talking about how Reform UK could make life difficult for his party.

“You head in opposition to a normal election, the place the nightmare situation is that Keir Starmer sails in throughout the heart on account of the 2 events being disunited.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m not prepared for that to happen.”

He added: “I want the fight to be united. And so, one way or another, I’m determined to do that and bring this coalition together and make sure we unite as a nation as well.”

A supply with regards to Jenrick advised PA Media on Wednesday that he had no variations along with his birthday celebration chief on ruling out a pact with Reform.

“Rob’s comments are about voters and not parties.

“He’s transparent we need to put Reform into bankruptcy and make the Conservatives the herbal house for all the ones at the appropriate, rebuilding the coalition of citizens we had in 2019 and will have once more.

“But he’s under no illusions how difficult that is – we have to prove over time we’ve changed and can be trusted again.”