"In a blistering TV interview of his own, Jenrick castigated Badenoch's Conservatives, saying the arsonists who had tanked its reputation were still in charge. While it remains to be seen whether any other sitting Tory MPs will follow Jenrick, the open rancour makes it extremely unlikely that a Badenoch-led Conservatives would do a deal with Reform, pitting the parties against each other in a fight for votes that will start with May's elections in Scotland and Wales and for English councils."
"He said: I came to the conclusion over the course of the last year or so that the party hadn't changed, that the people who'd made those mistakes were still sat around the shadow cabinet table, the arsonists were still in control of the party, and that this was not a party that was capable of even understanding what it"
Conservatives plan to step up attacks on Reform's economic policy as rivalry between the two right-wing parties intensifies following Robert Jenrick's defection. Kemi Badenoch called Jenrick dishonest and suggested his departure was no loss, while Jenrick accused Conservatives of being run by the same figures who damaged the party's reputation. The public feud reduces the likelihood of any deal between a Badenoch-led Conservatives and Reform. Conservatives trail Reform in national polls but hope shifting voter focus from migration to the economy will improve their position. Internal polling flags Reform's economic policy and leadership image as vulnerabilities.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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