Robert Jenrick was sacked earlier this week over his plot to defect to Reform (Image: Getty)
Robert Jenrick joining Reform “makes it more likely” Nigel Farage will win the next election, his former rival said.
Zia Yusuf, who repeatedly criticised the former immigration minister’s record in Government, said Mr Jenrick is “clear eyed about all of the different ways the Tories betrayed this country”.
And Mr Yusuf revealed Reform UK leader Mr Farage is deciding on what role Mr Jenrick will play “now”.
The policy chief also declared “there isn’t space for two centre right parties in this country”, as the fight to secure the keys to Downing Street intensifies.
Asked if he was involved in the negotiations, Mr Yusuf told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “Well, look, the most important thing about Robert’s arrival at Reform is that I had dinner with him on Thursday night, obviously the day he defected, my assessment is that this is a man who is thoughtful, who is clear eyed about all of the different ways the Tories betrayed this country, and wants to help Nigel, help me, help Richard and everyone at Reform repair that damage.
“And I also think it’s crystal clear that him arriving at Reform makes it more likely that we win the next general election, and I think that’s a really important milestone in order for us to do that, to turn the country around.”
Of Kemi Badenoch’s comments that Reform is “taking out the rubbish for her”, he added: “Well if Kemi Badenoch is focused on taking out the rubbish, there’d be nothing left of CCHQ or in the parliamentary party.”
Asked what job within Reform Mr Jenrick would have, Mr Yusuf said: “That’s going to be a decision for Nigel to make. I think he’s making those decisions now.”
Mr Yusuf, who refused to be drawn on who could defect from Labour next week, said Reform has rejected Tories trying to join.
Asked if his final aim was to destroy the Conservative Party or to join with it in some way, he told Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “Well, the reality is, there isn’t space for two centre right parties in this country, there just isn’t under our electoral system.
“So I’m afraid we must replace the Tories… you know, you can call it, destroy, replace, whatever it means. But there is, we will not do a pact with the Tories.
“And I think again, Robert Jenrick joining us and saying the things that he’s done, you know, excoriated his entire shadow cabinet at the Tories. There is simply no space for two centre right parties. And anyone watching this programme who really does want secure borders and a sensible centre right economy needs to get behind Reform.”
Zia Yusuf has broken his silence on Robert Jenrick (Image: Getty)
Mr Jenrick dramatically defected to Reform UK after being sacked by Kemi Badenoch as the battle for the right-wing of British politics exploded into open warfare.
Mr Jenrick unleashed excoriating attacks on his former Tory colleagues as he joined his new boss at a press conference in London.
The former immigration minister said the Conservative party was “rotten” and urged more MPs to jump ship.
In a scathing attack on the party he said had “failed so badly”, Mr Jenrick said the Conservatives “are not sorry” about “mistakes” made in government.
But Mrs Badenoch on Sunday accused Mr Jenrick of having a “narrow, inward-looking and performative” defection speech, which failed to mention foreign affairs.
Mrs Badenoch said: “Getting Britain working again means fixing our economy and fixing our country, and that means putting our national interest first and rebuilding our defences.
“Otherwise we will end up being poodles as the US annexes Greenland and we’re slapped with tariffs because we have not shown any strength.”
She added that the speech contained “nothing about Russia’s war in Europe, nothing about China’s growing economic and security penetration and nothing about Iran, North Korea, cyber warfare, AI, or the erosion of the rules-based order”.
Mrs Badenoch added: “Reform presents itself as insurgent and anti-establishment, yet it displays no serious interest in national security at all.
“It’s not just the fact that their leader in Wales was taking bribes from Russia, but that they are afraid to speak seriously about hostile states, alliances, defence, intelligence, or economic security, and when they aren’t afraid they don’t know what to say.”
Mrs Badenoch said she had Mr Jenrick had been planning to defect for several weeks.
“For a long time there were rumours and indications, but nothing that met the standard of proof. I gave him the benefit of the doubt deliberately,” she says. “If I had acted earlier, people would have accused me of insecurity or trying to dispatch a rival. I wanted to be absolutely certain – bomb-proof – before acting. That’s how I operate.
“I wasn’t angry, because I wasn’t surprised. I’d been hearing so much about this. Some people said I should offer him shadow chancellor. I never offered him shadow chancellor. I asked him if he was looking for a move, and he said no.
“When I was initially putting the shadow cabinet together, he wanted everybody’s job. Now I feel vindicated because he would still have done this no matter what he got – because the only job he wanted was mine, and I’m the leader. That’s the reality. It’s always sad when someone leaves the party, but for many of us, this has actually been cathartic.
“There is no universe in which he beats me, so he’s chosen to leave and pursue his shenanigans elsewhere.”
