Ex-Tory MP Robert Jenrick heaped praise on Nigel Farage after his defection to the party. But relations between the duo haven’t always been rosy – with bitter personal insults
Nigel Farage’s newest recruit Robert Jenrick heaped praise on his new boss as he defected from the Tories – despite the duo’s colourful history.
Once derided as “Robert Generic”, the former Tory MP was sensationally sacked from the Shadow Cabinet on Thursday and his membership suspended. Conservative chief Kemi Badenoch accused him of preparing to defect to Reform – and he did so just a few hours later at a press conference with Mr Farage.
In a speech, he praised the Reform UK leader Mr Farage for standing “for the real change we need for over a decade” and urged people to back him.
READ MORE: Robert Jenrick defects to Reform UK as Nigel Farage suffers awkward gaffe
But relations between Mr Farage and Mr Jenrick haven’t always been rosy, with bitter personal insults a matter of public record. Here The Mirror looks at some of the comments they’ve made of each other…
‘Nigel Farage not the kind of bloke you want running your kids’ schools’
A whole four months ago Mr Farage’s newest recruit tore into the idea of the former Ukip leader in No10.
He told The Sun newspaper that Reform UK leader was a “a good bloke to go to the pub with and he speaks to a lot of people in the country”.
Nice enough. But he then went on: “I don’t think Nigel’s the kind of bloke you want to have running your kids’ schools, or running your local hospital. Or – as the public finances continue to collapse under Rachel Reeves – trust with your savings, your pension, your small business.
“I’m not sure if Nigel actually thinks he is the right person to do that himself.”
‘Has a joint found its way into his usual pack of Marlboro Golds?’
Last summer Mr Farage announced plans to scrap the two-child benefit limit. Several months later he clarified Reform UK’s policy.
But at the time of the original announcement, Mr Jenrick took to X, mocking the Reform UK leader, saying: “Why is Farage backing this policy? Has he cooked this up after one too many pints at his local?” He added: “Has a joint found its way into his usual pack of Marlboro Golds?”
‘Can’t even run a five-a-side team’
In a leaked recording to the Telegraph, the newbie Reform MP told Tory members in March last year that Nigel Farage “can’t even run a five-a-side team”.
It came after the Reform UK chief sacked MP Rupert Lowe from the party. Mr Jenrick reportedly told the party faithful at the time: “We’ve just seen in the last fortnight that Nigel Farage can’t even run a five-a-side team, so he’s not going to be able to run a country.
“They’re not a serious party. We may have sympathy with some of the things that they say. We may understand why millions of our fellow countrymen and women have gone to Reform, but they are not the answer.”
‘Formerly a man that believed in nothing’
In a post on X in September 2024 Mr Farage shared some analysis on the upcoming Conservative Party conference. It was the party’s first get together since its worst-ever election defeat with both Kemi Badenoch and Mr Jenrick running for the Tory leadership.
Speaking of Mr Jenrick, he said: “Formerly a man that believed in nothing, Robert Jenrick now pitches himself as the great hardliner.
“This is almost certainly done for political gain and not out of conviction. He will divide the party. I doubt that Jenrick will last long if he wins.”
‘Don’t forget… this is Robert ‘Generic”
The following year, Mr Farage again questioned his new MP’s conviction.
Asked by Sky News if he would welcome into Reform’s ranks in April 2025, Mr Farage replied: “Maybe… if we thought he was genuine, yes. Don’t forget…this is Robert ‘Generic’. This is Robert the Remainer.
“This is the Robert the, I don’t stand particularly for anything at all, who suddenly appears to be.. on this Damascene Conversion.”
‘Robert Jenrick is a fraud – I’ve always thought so’
The numbers of people held in asylum hotels rocketed on Mr Jenrick’s watch.
He was Immigration Minister in Boris Johnson’s government when the number of people in hotels hit a massive 56,000, and in 2022 he bragged: “More hotels have been coming online almost every month throughout the whole year.”
How did Mr Farage respond? He shared the quote in August last year, writing: “Jenrick is a fraud. I’ve alway thought so, this quote proves it.”
‘This man is not to be trusted’
After the ex-Shadow Justice Secretary Mr Jenrick intervened as tensions rose in Epping last summer over the use of an asylum hotel, Mr Farage took another shot at him.
He wrote: “When Robert Jenrick was immigration minister he grew the number of illegal migrants living in free hotels to 56,000. He is no friend of Epping.”
In a video accompanying the post, Mr Farage said: “My advice to you would be to say this man is a fraud. This man is not to be trusted. And certainly his party aren’t either.”
In response, Mr Jenrick replied: “You’re rattled.”