Nigel Farage has unveiled his future cabinet should Reform UK win the next election, with Robert Jenrick confirmed as the insurgent party’s new shadow chancellor.
Mr Jenrick’s rise to one of the insurgent party’s top roles comes weeks after a shock defection from the Tories.
The Reform leader has also assigned other key roles to top figures in his Party during a speech in Westminster.
Head of policy Zia Yusuf has been handed Shadow Home Secretary, and Richard Tice has been given a new “super department” brief combining business, trade and energy.
Labour slams Reform’s shadow cabinet
Labour said Nigel Farage‘s front bench appointments had “failed Britain before” and would do the same again.
Chairwoman Anna Turley said: “Farage’s top team of failed Tories spent over 3,000 days inflicting untold damage on our country in government, trashing our economy, hammering families’ mortgages, and leaving our borders open.
“They failed Britain before – they’d do the same again under Reform.
“Today’s appointments clearly reveal that neither keeping our nation safe nor tackling NHS waiting lists are priorities for Farage or Reform UK.
“Only Keir Starmer‘s Labour Government is delivering on the people’s priorities by tackling the cost of living and cutting NHS waiting lists.”
Nigel Farage issues savage local elections verdict as Reform storms ahead – ‘catastrophe!’
Nigel Farage has insisted he does not think that an immediate challenge for a Reform UK government would be keeping the United Kingdom together.
The party leader was quizzed by the Express’s David Williamson on the issue during a press conference on Tuesday.
Mr Farage was asked what would happe after May if the SNP’s still in power in the Scottish Parliament.
Lowe hits back at Farage
Rupert Lowe tells the Express: “Farage finally admits why he kicked me out of Reform – because I wanted to deport foreign rapists and their accomplices.
“If that’s the case, why did he then try to send me to prison? The British people now have a genuine political alternative to this circus – Restore Britain.”
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Farage launches war of words with Rupert Lowe
Nigel Farage launched a brutal war of words today against former Reform MP Rupert Lowe, who this weekend announced plans to launch a new right-wing rival party.
Mr Farage slapped down Mr Lowe’s efforts, warning that the public don’t know who he is and that he will find out launching a new party is much more difficult that Mr Farage makes it appear.
Speaking at a press conference in Westminster this morning, after unveiling his new shadow cabinet line-up, Mr Farage took aim at Mr Lowe’s history of falling out with employers, and denied they had ever been “friends”.
Farage vows that he’ll take a step back now
Farage promises that today’s four fresh announcements are “just the start”
He says we’ll see “a lot more of them” over the coming months, “and maybe a little less of me!”
He says Reform is now the opposition to the Labour government.
Braverman vows to sack herself on day one
Suella Braverman says Reform will get rid of the Equalities Department “on day one”.
“we will scrap the equality minister” – doing herself out of the job she’s just been given.
Reform will also scrap the Equality Act.
Jenrick slams Reeves
Robert Jenrick has branded Rachel Reeves a “wrecking ball” during his unveiling as Reform UK’s Chancellor.
The former Tory thanked Nigel Farage for the opportunity “to oppose” Ms Reeves.
Mr Jenrick said: “Nigel, thank you for giving me the opportunity to oppose the wrecking ball that is Rachel Reeves and this Labour Government.”
He added: “Above all, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak up, to be a voice for the millions of people who are being failed by this Labour Government.”
He said Reform would put together “the most comprehensive plan of any political party” to “fix Britain’s broken economy”.
Suella Braverman puts university ‘on notice’
Braverman warns Universities “that have descended into hotbeds of cancel culture, antisemitism and that survive thanks to the cash of foreign students and keep conning young people into worthless degrees” that they are being put “on notice” by Reform.
Tories slap down Reform press conference
Kevin Hollinrake MP, Chairman of the Conservative Party, said:
“After months of infighting and leaks, Nigel Farage has unveiled a front bench dominated by ex-Conservatives – a line-up that looks more like a tribute act to the old Conservative Party than a credible alternative.
“Even now, some are already eyeing their next career move, while others who were clearly expecting promotion have been left out in the cold.
“Today’s underwhelming announcement proves Reform remains a one-man band. Only the Conservatives, under Kemi Badenoch, have the depth, experience and serious plan to Get Britain Working Again.”
Farage confirms Suella Braverman as shadow Education Secretary
Recent defector Suella Braverman is announced as shadow Education Secretary.
Farage says she’ll also have the ‘skills’ brief, and the ‘equalities’ brief, taking on DEI.
She says Reform will restore authority to schools, and the ability of teachers to discipline children.
It will also end Britain-hating lessons and ban gender transitioning among students entirely.
She says too many universities are failing young people.
Too many young people have been “sold a lie” about university, ending years of their lives on “Mickey Mouse courses”.
Braverman says Reform will enforce a new target of 50% of young people going into training instead of Blair’s university target.
Zia Yusuf sets out Reform’s immigration pledges
Zia says that as Home Secretary:
1. We will stop the boats
2. We will enact Operation Restoring Justice
3. We will derogate from any international treaty stopping deportations
4. We will take on the threat of radical Islam
5. If you come to this country with the goal of usurping and upending our laws you will be deported
He warns anyone watching the press conference in Britain illegally: you will be deported
Zia Yusuf is shadow Home Secretary
Zia Yusuf says Britain has been “overwhelmed” by both legal and illegal immigration.
He highlights that he’s a son of immigrants himself.
But says Britain has to be honest that the scale of immigration over the last 30 years has broken Britain.
Says more illegal migrants have rocked up on the shores of Britain than landed on Normandy for D-Day.
He says “nobody voted for this. In fact they voted explicitly for the opposite”
