Jenrick vows to unite right

Robert Jenrick has vowed to “unite the right” ahead of the next general election, signalling an electoral pact between the Conservatives and Reform UK.

- ARCHIE MITCHELL

The senior Tory, seen as a leadership contender waiting to replace Kemi Badenoch, said “one way or another” he is determined to form a coalition between the parties.

Speaking to a group of students in March, he said his worry is that Reform UK “becomes a permanent or semi-permanent fixture on the British political scene”.

“If that is the case, and I am trying to do everything I can to stop that being the case, then life becomes a lot harder for us, because the right is not united,” Mr Jenrick added.

In a secret recording of his remarks, revealed by Sky News, he said: “You head towards a general election where the nightmare scenario is that Keir Starmer sails in through the middle as a result of the two parties not being united.

“I don’t know about you, I am not prepared for that to happen. I want the right to be united, and one way or another I am determined to do that.”

The remarks were revealed just over a week before voters go to the polls for what looks set to be a disastrous set of local elections for the Conservatives. With Nigel Farage’s Reform having established a consistent lead over Labour and the Tories in the polls, Ms Badenoch’s party is set to suffer devastating losses in next Thursday’s contests.