Nigel Farage sets up brutal war of words with damning verdict on Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick

Robert Jenrick told the Tory Party Conference 'let's put Nigel Farage out of business', but the Reform UK leader hit back and accused him of being a fake hardliner

A brutal war of words has broken out between Nigel Farage and the two most right-wing Tory leadership contenders.

The Reform UK leader has rubbished Kemi Badenoch, saying "I don't believe a word she says on anything". And he was equally dismissive of Robert Jenrick, who he says is presenting himself as a hardliner "for political gain and not out of conviction".

Tory members are desperately trying to work out who should succeed Rishi Sunak after the party's thumping election defeat. This afternoon Mr Jenrick told a hustings event at the party conference in Birmigham that he could win back Reform voters next time around.

He was applauded as he said: "Let's put Nigel Farage out of business." Mr Jenrick, a former Sunak loyalist who became increasingly hardline after serving under Suella Braverman in the Home Office, went on: "If I'm lucky enough to lead this party... we will have the policies we need to suck the oxygen away from Reform."

However Mr Farage was having none of it. He posted on Twitter /X: "Until now, I have refrained from intervening in the upcoming leadership election — but the time has come. Kemi Badenoch has spent weeks positioning herself as tough on immigration.

"But in 2018 she campaigned in Parliament to increase legal migration, and was the biggest champion for students bringing in dependents. I don't believe a word that she says on anything."

And setting his sights on former Immigration Minister 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."

The Reform leader added: "The Conservative Party is split down the middle and the brand is completely broken." Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson, now a Reform MP, weighed in: "Fair comment. It's just more of the same."

Earlier Tom Tugendhat, who is also vying to be the next Tory leader, urged members against focusing solely on winning back Mr Farage's supporters. He said: "If we decide that we're going to chase after the same 15% of the vote, I can tell you what will happen.

"We'll end up getting the same 15% of the vote, and we will become a policy of protest and never a policy of government. I will not do a deal with any other party."