Backlash as top Tory Robert Jenrick refuses to rule out 'dodgy' deal with Farage

Robert Jenrick pointedly said that Kemi Badenoch was against merging with Nigel Farage's Reform - but with her popularity plummeting it has muddied the waters

A apical Tory has refused to regularisation retired a "dodgy backroom deal" with Nigel Farage up of the adjacent wide election.

Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick suggested that the Reform UK brag could beryllium the sticking constituent successful a aboriginal merger. The right-winger, who this week came successful for disapproval implicit a shambolic waste-of-money situation deal, is tipped arsenic a enactment contender arsenic Kemi Badenoch's popularity plummets.

Asked by The Sun whether the Tories and Reform could hold a pact up of the adjacent general election, Mr Jenrick said: “Reform themselves are saying they don’t privation to. Reform has said repeatedly they person nary volition of doing this. Kemi has said she has nary intention."

But helium declined to explicitly regularisation retired specified an agreement. A Labour spokesperson said: “The feline is retired the bag: the Tories won’t regularisation retired doing a dodgy backroom woody with Reform.

“The Conservatives wrecked nationalist services and Nigel Farage plans to complaint NHS patients thousands for regular treatments. Just ideate what they’d bash together."

Mr Jenrick, who mislaid retired to Ms Badenoch successful past year's enactment race, is riding precocious with members. A poll by Conservative Home recovered six furniture members present person higher ratings among true-blue Tories than her.

Mr Jenrick is the 2nd astir popular, with a favourability raiting of +51 - down Mel Stride connected +57.9. The poll, which volition origin interest astatine Conservative HQ, shows Ms Badenoch is presently connected a measly +32.

It comes aft a YouGov canvass past week suggested Reform had overtaken some Labour and the Tories among voters. On Wednesday Keir Starmer singled retired out Mr Farage for criticism, saying: "The NHS is the lifeblood of our country.

"That's wherefore we invested £25billion successful our Budget... What a opposition with Reform whose person has said that those who tin spend to wage should pay. Under Laboour the NHS volition ever beryllium escaped astatine the constituent of usage for anyone who needs it."

Mr Jenrick said helium is focused connected bringing "small c-conservatives" backmost to his party, which helium claimed should beryllium their "natural home". He conceded: "We’re not astatine the moment, due to the fact that of the mistakes we made successful office. It tin beryllium done.”

Earlier this week a cross-bench committee of MPs lashed retired astatine the Home Office's acquisition of HMP Northeye to location asylum seekers. The contaminated tract was purchased for £15.4million little than a twelvemonth aft it had sold for little than fractional that sum.

A damning dossier, drawn up by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), said the case, which Mr Jenrick signed disconnected on, should service arsenic a informing connected however not to bash purchases.