Conservative leadership candidates issue warnings to Reform voters, call for lower taxes

A former Conservative minister insisted the party was the natural home of Reform voters as leadership candidates jostled for their jobs ahead of the general election.

Robert Jenrick also said former Prime Minister Boris Johnson should still have a place within the Conservatives, including in Parliament, if he wanted it.

Mr Jenrick, who last served in government as immigration minister, later denied firing the first shot in the race to replace Rishi Sunak if the prime minister led the conservatives to defeat on July 4.

Elsewhere, Home Secretary James Cleverly said he was focused on re-electing me and my colleagues as he failed to rule out a tilt at the top job if one became available .

Former Conservative home secretary Dame Priti Patel also made the case for lower taxes in a rallying cry to voters in the Sunday Telegraph.

Labor's lead over the Conservatives remains around 20 points.

Some pollsters have suggested Labor could be on course to secure a landslide majority that would jeopardize Tory seats previously considered safe.

Mr Jenrick, the Conservative candidate for Newark who held the seat in 2019 with a majority of 21,816 votes, said the Government had taken its time but was now turning a corner in its efforts to reduce net migration.

Speaking to the leader of Reform UK, Mr Jenrick wrote in The Mail On Sunday: Although I completely disagree with Nigel Farage that the West incited Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine, I have a lot of respect for him.

He speaks for the concerns of millions, but he does not ask to lead the country.

Instead, he wants to be the official opposition. And yet he knows he can't do that either, because he only has a handful of MPs at best.

The Conservative family has always been, and must continue to be, a natural home for Reform voters who share our concerns.

We need to build a coalition of voters and propose policies that will solve people's problems, whether it's migration, public service reform, cost of living or housing.

Mr Jenrick claimed a vote for Reform or Labor risked creating a one-party state, adding: That's why we need the best talent in the Conservative Party working together, and why I know Boris Johnson supported his conservative colleagues before election day.

He will always hold a special place in the history of our party and our country as the leader who delivered Brexit.

He is also, of course, a unique campaigner and must always have his place in the Conservative Party, including in Parliament, if he ever wishes to have one.

Mr Jenrick, appearing on Sky News Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, was told his article read as the first shot in the race to become the next leader of the Conservative Party.

He said: Well, no Trevor.

I am here today because I care passionately about the Conservative Party and want them to achieve the best possible result in the general election. I have spent weeks knocking on doors in North Nottinghamshire and I share the values ​​and concerns of Reform voters.

But I am here to warn them that if they vote for anyone other than a Conservative in this general election, they risk, because of our electoral system, getting a supermajority from the Labor Party.

Appearing on the same show, Mr Cleverly was asked if he was ready to take on the challenge of being the next Tory leader.

He responded: I said my goal was to get myself and my colleagues re-elected.

Mr Cleverly said he wanted to ensure the party had enough MPs to form a Conservative majority, adding: If that is not the case, we will deal with the circumstances as we find out. , we want to make sure that if we are going to hold the Labor Party to account, and do it well.

But look, my instinct is that the Leader of the Opposition and I know that what you're referring to is not a job that people should aspire to, but being in government is a job that people should aspire to.

Dame Priti, who is seeking re-election for Witham in Essex, made the case for lower taxes in a rallying cry to voters.

Writing for the Sunday Telegraph, Dame Priti said: “We are a staunchly pro-business party that believes in promoting the low tax environment that the country's entrepreneurs and wealth creators need to thrive and succeed .

Dame Priti, who held the seat in 2019 with a majority of 24,082 votes, added: The Conservatives want to give businesses the freedom to thrive and unleash the country's entrepreneurial spirit, which is why we are so many campaign vigorously for lower taxes and less bureaucracy.