7 times Nigel Farage and his new best mate Robert Jenrick fell out

LONDON — Nigel Farage has a new recruit to his Reform UK cause. They haven’t always been the best of pals. Robert Jenrick, a former Tory leadership contender, defected to Farage’s right-wing cause Thursday after being fired from the Conservatives by party Leader Kemi Badenoch. Farage is “obviously the right person to lead the movement for change Britain needs,” Jenrick said, adding the Reform leader was “all too often a lone voice of common sense.” Advertisement Farage and Jenrick haven’t always been on the friendliest of terms. After the duo’s Thursday night love-in at a London press conference, POLITICO sweeps through the seven occasions the pair were at each other’s throats. September 2024: Farage says Jenrick believes in nothing Farage showed little love for Jenrick when he offered himself as a future Conservative Party leader in the 2024 contest to replace Rishi Sunak. Jenrick was “formerly a man that believed in nothing” who pitched himself as the “great hardliner,” Farage said in a post on X as the contest reached its climax. “This is almost certainly done for political gain and not out of conviction. He will divide the party,” Farage added. Making sure he had really hammered home his distaste, Farage concluded: “I doubt that Jenrick will last long if he wins.” Advertisement October 2024: Farage brands Jenrick a hypocrite Farage never misses an opportunity to bash a former Conservative minister over their record in government. Jenrick wasn’t spared in his past life. Pictured Jan. 15, 2026 … but these two have history. | Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty Images The Reform leader couldn’t resist a Jenrick jab when POLITICO reported that long-term contracts for housing irregular migrants had actually been approved by Jenrick while he was immigration minister. Farage decried Jenrick as a “hypocrite” for attack Labour on similar grounds, adding: “Don’t believe a word that he says on anything.” Their first pint as Reform pals could be awkward. April 2025: Farage versus Robert Generic Asked by Sky whether Jenrick would be welcome in Reform, Farage’s answer was equivocal: “Maybe … if we thought he was genuine, yes.” But it came with this caveat. Advertisement “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.” May 2025: Jenrick says Farage has had too many pints It cuts both ways. Jenrick has been happy to throw the odd insult Farage’s way too. Lambasting Reform’s social security policy, the ex-Tory got personal: “Has he cooked this up after one too many pints at his local?,” Jenrick asked . “Has a joint found its way into his usual pack of Marlboro Golds?” August 2025: Jenrick claims he’s got Farage rattled Farage and Jenrick traded blows last summer amid heated protests over a hotel housing irregular migrants in Essex. Farage labeled Jenrick “no friend” of the English town of Epping after the then shadow justice secretary visited a rally...

Preview: ~500 words