Robert Jenrick accused of 'running for the hills' by Tory Chairman after 'damaging' Reform defection: 'Absolute nonsense!'

After being sacked by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, Mr Jenrick was unveiled as the latest addition to Reform UK this week.

Addressing the press conference, Mr Jenrick declared he no longer "trusts the Tories on immigration" and is "proud" to play a part in the growing success of Reform.

Defending Mrs Badenoch, Mr Hollinrake told GB News host Camilla Tominey: "Kemi is succeeding. We've got the same policy ideas on the way to tackle some of these problems in society.

"So why has Rob decided to defect in the most damaging way possible? That's ultimately because of Rob's personal ambition."

As Camilla cited the claim made by Mr Jenrick that the Conservatives have "not changed", he hit back: "That's just absolute nonsense. I've said sorry on your programme and lots of other programmes, but for what went wrong previously, we did some good things in 14 years, but we made some fundamental mistakes.

"And Kemi admits that, and the party's under completely new leadership."

He added: "It needs to be strong, it needs somebody who is not going to avoid some of these critical issues. But it also needs someone who's authentic and optimistic, and that's what Kemi is.

"I think, running around all the time saying, ‘Britain is broken’ - what's that? What message does that send to the rest of the world and to the young people within this country? Of course we've got problems, but we can fix them."

Asked if Mr Jenrick left because the Conservatives had tanked in the polls, Mr Hollinrake disagreed: "I don't agree with that as a premise. Anyway, we are improving in the polls. Kemi is the most popular leader now amongst all the major party leaders.

"We’re the most trusted on the economy, which will be increasingly important as this current Government makes a further mess of it."

He continued: "So I think that the polls will change further than they have done already. But I must say, as a point of principle, you don't choose a party on the basis of the one who's most likely to win in, you do it on the basis of values. The Conservative Party is very clear on its values.

"We are strong on the economy, always have been sensible, fiscally prudent where Reform is not. They want to lift things like the cap on two-child benefit, for example, and Rob knows that he's often spoken out about Reform’s shortcomings in these areas.

"But also we're strong on the other things that matter, in terms of our borders or our country, and you've got a proper leader. So I don't agree with the whole premise, if Rob's trying to make that argument. You stand and fight. You don't run for the hills when times are tough."

Looking ahead to the May elections, Mr Hollinrake admitted they will prove "tough" for the Tories in comparison to Reform: "Nigel Farage is a very good communicator, and has his strengths. I've never tried to run away from that particular point.

“But the reality is, in policy terms, he consistently produces policy which he later then trashes, evidenced by his 2024 manifesto, which he stood on, of course, and now he says it was a work of fiction. So what you need to run a country is a team, a good team of people, not a one-man band.

"Critically, Nigel Farage, even if he gets some people in it, who supposedly on the face of it could help, generally they tend to fall out with Nigel Farage later on down the track."

He told Camilla: "The May elections are going to be tough as Conservatives, because we're still re-building, and we're seeing people are more and more interested in Kemi, and they like what they see. So I think the more people see Kemi, see our policies, see that we've got a strong team who can deliver and execute on Kemi's priorities, the more people will decide to return to the Conservative Party and that we have the solutions to the problems this country faces."

Grilled on a possible alliance with Reform, Mr Hollinrake concluded: "I was very clear at the time there'd no pacts before a general election.

"But the question was put on borders, where am I most politically aligned on borders and more politically aligned in terms of protecting our borders with Reform’s policy, but I utterly disagree with them on economic policy, on increasing the size of the state. Completely disagree with them."