'Who cares?!' Reform UK slaps down Conservative leadership contenders as populist party pose lethal threat to 'utterly toxic' Tories

Former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick, ex-Home Secretary Priti Patel, former Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, ex-Security Minister Tom Tugendhat and former Work & Pensions Secretary Mel Stride have also launched bids to become Tory leader.

Despite a focus on uniting the Conservative Party and taking on Reform UK, figures from the populist party were far from convinced by any of the candidates.

Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice told GB News: “Who are they? Most voters up and down the country won’t recognise the names of most of those candidates.

“Mel, who? It’s just ridiculous. And the reality is, who cares?

“What they don’t realise is the brand is completely and utterly toxic. I heard it on the doors.

“They’re all over the place. People are so tired of the Tories saying one thing and then delivering on anything.

“As far as we are concerned at Reform, we’re focused on our own messages.”

A senior Reform UK source added: “We just don’t care. It’s somebody else’s problem.

“They will do what they will do. We will take them on. The Tory leadership issue is bald men fighting over a comb.

“None of them are addressing significant issues and they’re doing exactly what we’d expect them to do.”

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The populist party insider was scathing about Patel’s handling of illegal immigration, Badenoch’s role in Sunak’s Government and Tugendhat’s pivot on the European Convention on Human Rights.

Reform UK received 4.1 million votes in the 2024 General Election, returning five MPs to the House of Commons.

YouGov revealed 25 per cent of 2019 Tory voters backed Reform UK, with Conservative support collapsing to 53 per cent.

Reform UK’s support among 2019 Tories was more than those who switched to Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Green Party combined.

Leadership contenders have directly addressed the threat of Reform as MPs countdown to the first ballot on September 4.

Patel and Jenrick have received the most amount of support when it comes to posing a threat to Reform.

“Priti is really best-placed to win over the Right,” a former No10 insider told GB News.

Former Reform UK deputy leader Ben Habib, who stood for the populist party in Wellingborough twice in 2024, added: “Priti has held high-office, she knows how to govern, she’s experienced and can carry people with her.”

A top Tory source also claimed: “There were only two candidates who could seriously take on Reform: Suella and Robert. Suella didn’t have the numbers but Robert definitely does.”

However, some believe Braverman was the biggest threat to Reform amid speculation she could opt to defect to the populist party later this year.

An ex-Brexit Party insider told GB News: “Nigel and his team would have been over the moon that Suella was shunned by MPs.

“She was the only one with the conviction to tackle mass migration that could have really taken the fight to them.

“We’re about to see the Conservative Party plunge head first into five years of so-called centrism that inspires no-one and repulses millions.”

Ashfield MP Lee Anderson, who defected from the Tories to Reform earlier this year, said Braverman would be welcome to join the populist party.

However, Braverman does not look likely to leave the Conservative Party, vowing to “support the new leader from the backbenches for a Conservative revival”.

Anderson also rejected reports Reform was most worried about Jenrick, adding: “Just look at their majorities.”

He separately suggested Reform UK would relish taking on Tugendhat.

Anderson claimed: “He’s everything that's wrong with the Conservative Party.”

A recent opinion poll conducted by JL Partners for GB News suggested Braverman was best placed to win back lost voters to Reform UK.

The former Home Secretary received the backing of 23 per cent of Reform UK respondents, with 45 per cent unsure on who to support.

Patel was in second place on 11 per cent, as Badenoch, Tugendhat and Jenrick languished behind in single figures.

However, the same survey suggested the race among Tory voters was too close to call and a majority were still unsure who to support.

Tory calls for unity have also been brought into question given the different visions held by MPs across the Conservative Party.

Lance Forman, who was elected as a Brexit Party MEP before defecting to the Tories under Boris Johnson, told GB News: “It’s pointless trying to unify. They’re too far apart at the edges.

“It’s better to lose a few but at least then have a passionate group who can go out and sell a message.”

Forman instead called on Tory leadership hopefuls to work with Farage, labelling the Reform UK leader an “asset” to the Conservative Party.

“Farage would make the best Leader of the Opposition,” the smoked salmon business owner claimed, “it would be stupid not to work with Reform.”

However, all leadership contenders have rejected the suggestion of a merger with Reform UK and have fixated efforts on winning over the populist party’s voters rather than high command.

Forman also criticised Farage for not adopting a more concentrated campaign which would see the populist party target around 60 seats rather than running a national campaign.

Reform UK is already focused on next year’s local elections, with supporters receiving an email urging them to step up as candidates.

In a letter to activists in the bastion of populist politics, Reform UK’s East of England branch said: “Our immediate focus is the Local Elections in May 2025, whether they are County Council elections or Borough/District Council we need as many Candidates as possible to stand for Reform UK.”

The populist party is also undergoing a major restructuring intended to professionalise the rebranded Brexit Party.

Chairman Zia Yusuf told activists: “You will shortly hear about our bold plans to build a democratised branch structure.

“I ask all of you who can, to consider how you may join our mission directly.

“To those who feel despondent, I promise you this country has faced darker hours and emerged victorious.”