Robert Jenrick has issued a warning to Nigel Farage, saying he wants to put the Reform UK leader "back into retirement."
The Shadow Justice Secretary had previously said he was determined to "bring this coalition together" when discussing the threat Reform UK posed.
However, this morning he ruled out a deal between the two parties, adding that he was throwing his weight behind party leader Kemi Badenoch, saying his former leadership rival is "doing a bloody good job."
Jenrick told Good Morning Britain: "Kemi has been very clear there won’t be a pact with Reform, and I’ve said time and again that I want to put Reform out of business. I want to send Nigel Farage back to retirement.
Robert Jenrick has ruled out the merger between the two parties
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The Newark MP continued: "What I want to do, and Kemi feels the same, is bring back those voters that we lost, many of whom we lost to Reform at the last general election, and we lost them because we let those people down.
"I understand that they feel angry and frustrated with the Conservative party right now. We’re changing that.The party’s under new leadership under Kemi.
"Frankly, I think she’s doing a bloody good job in difficult circumstances.
"You know, it’s not easy being leader of the opposition when we’ve just lost our worst ever election defeat. Frankly, I think people should give her a break."
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Ben Houchen says the party has a long way to go GB NEWSIt comes after Conservative mayor for Tees Valley urged his fellow Tories to come to "some sort of deal" before the next General Election.
Ben Houchen told Politico: "I don’t know whether it’s a merger … [or] a pact of trust and confidence or whatever.
"But if we want to make sure that there is a sensible centre-right party leading this country, then there is going to have to be a coming together of Reform and the Conservative party in some way.
"What that looks like is slightly above my pay grade at the moment."
Nigel Farage has previously dismissed suggestions that the British right is divided and has ruled out working with the Conservatives
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Farage has previously dismissed suggestions that the British right is divided and has ruled out working with the Conservatives.
Speaking on stage at the Arc Conference in East London earlier this year, he said: "The right is not split in this country. The Conservative Party is not on the right in any measurable way."
He later added: "The Tories broke Britain nationally for 14 years, and their councils continue to break local communities with the highest taxes ever and worst services."
