Former Tory immigration minister Robert Jenrick has said that there is "no role" for Nigel Farage in the Tory party despite speculation that the Reform UK leader may deflect.
This comes after last week in an interview with The Independent, the leader of Reform UK and newly elected MP for Clacton said he already has a plan to win the next General Election in 2029.
He believes “there is no love” for Keir Starmer’s new Labour Government but has admitted his own ambitions for the election were thwarted by the number of racist remarks from his party’s candidates.
Instead, he believes the Tories have left “a huge vacuum” that his party Reform can fill.
Nigel Farage is the leader of Reform UK
PA
Speaking to GB News Jenrick said: "I respect Nigel. He and I share a number of things in common. We obviously both believe in strong borders.
"But no, I don't think that Nigel can or should be part of the Conservative Party.
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"He said that he doesn't want to join the party, said he wants to replace the Conservative Party.
"As long as that is his view, there can't be a role for him in the party.
"I will work with anyone who shares my determination to secure our borders and to hold an open borders Labour Party to account for everything they do."
This comes recent newspaper reports have suggested large numbers of migrants were massing along the French coast last week, waiting for a Starmer Government before crossing.
Robert Jenrick said that the is "no role" for Farage
GB News
The last Conservative Government had claimed Labour's decision to scrap the Rwanda plan, to send asylum seekers to the East African nation, would act as a pull factor for those intending to come to the UK.
Keir Starmer and the Labour Party beat the Conservatives at last week's General Election by a landslide.
Rishi Sunak has since revealed that he will be stepping down as leader of the Tory Party once his successor is chosen, starting a Conservative leadership race.
Nigel Farage began his political journey as a Conservative but quit the party in the early 1990s over its then pro-European stance - but has spoken about returning to the fold if the party shifts further to the right.
Nigel Farage has a strong stance on immigration
PA
Back in February Farage said: "Maybe after the Tories lose heavily they'll rethink what they actually stand for.
"What we do need in this country is a centre-right Government.
He told the BBC: "At some point in time people like myself and Jacob Rees-Mogg have to be in the same party - whether that's Reform, whether that's the Conservatives, whether that's something new.
"Logically, that wing of the party and Reform have to be on the same team."