The chief of a Tory MP pressure group has confessed that the criticisms made by the Reform party are "mostly valid".
Danny Kruger was heard saying that the Tory Party were "not a very conservative party in lots of ways".
During a gathering of local party members in Salisbury last Friday night Kruger told the New Conservatives group that the party brand had become "somewhat tarnished".
He added that Reform has been “absolutely killing” the Tories and he was "very, very worried" about its growing support.
Danny Kruger was heard saying that the Tory Party were 'not a very conservative party in lots of ways'
PA
The co-chairman of the Right-leaning MP group dubbed Richard Tice's Party a "destructive force", according to The Telegraph.
Kruger was heard being asked about Reform and whether the Tories should work with them.
According to the leaked recording, he said: "I don’t think there’s any chance of working together [with Reform] because they’ve ruled that out very, very recently and publicly, and I think genuinely their ambition is to replace us.
"They want to destroy the Conservative Party. They think the obstacle to Conservatism is the Conservative Party. And I kind of get what they’re saying. Because in many ways it is, we’re not a very conservative party in lots of ways.
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"But I don’t agree with them. I think the answer to the Conservative Party’s problems is to change the Conservative Party and to make it better, which is what we’re trying to do.
"But I am sympathetic to their general critique. I don’t really believe in them, I don’t really like them to be honest. I don’t think they stand for genuine conservative ideas, I think they’re just a destructive force.
"I think it will be a tragedy if they did end up replacing us. But their general critique of what’s wrong, I think, is mostly valid. And the people who are attracted to them, I understand why and we have to have major respect for them, not insult them."
Kruger also shared frustration that former Tory vice-chairman, Lee Anderson - who had been in the New Conservatives - was allowed to defect to Reform.
The co-chairman of the Right-leaning MP group dubbed Richard Tice's Party a 'destructive force'
PAEarlier this week, a YouGov survey showed 16 per cent support - its highest recorded level.
A friend of Kruger said: "These comments are not dissimilar to what Danny has been saying publicly but he’s obviously disappointed that he can’t speak candidly with local members without his comments being surreptitiously taped and leaked.
"The topic was brought up by local members who were concerned about the electoral threat posed by Reform - Danny was clear, the Conservative Party must see them down."