Nigel Farage insisted his supporters would be “revolted” by a pact between Reform UK and the Tories. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick vowed to bring together a “coalition” of Reform and Conservative voters to take on Labour in a leaked recording.

He can be heard saying that he wants the “fight” against Sir Keir Starmer’s party to be “united”. A source close to Mr Jenrick has said that his comments are “about voters and not parties”.

Asked about Mr Jenrick’s comments, Reform leader Mr Farage told GB News: “I think my supporters would be revolted ... we had, we had 14 years of the Conservative Party.

“Tax is the highest since 1947, the state growing, the Civil Service growing, mass immigration at levels even Tony Blair couldn’t dream of.

“They let people down by every single measure. And when it comes to Brexit, everything from fishing to financial services feels actually they didn’t get anything like what they expected.

“As you will see in the next few weeks. And as I predicted in the early hours of July 5 in Clacton, I said, we’ve dealt with the Conservative Party. We’re now coming for Labour. We are coming for Labour, those Labour voters, some of whom did vote Conservative in 2019 and never will do so again."

Pressed on if he would do a deal with Mr Jenrick or the Tories, Mr Farage added: “I can only deal with people who I could trust. I don’t trust them."

In the recording obtained by Sky News, Mr Jenrick had said that if Reform became a “permanent or semi-permanent fixture on the British political scene”, then “life becomes a lot harder” for the Tories.

Speaking to the UCL Conservative Association in March, Mr Jenrick said: “You head towards a general election, where the nightmare scenario is that Keir Starmer sails in through the middle as a result of the two parties being disunited.

"I don't know about you, but I'm not prepared for that to happen."

Mr Jenrick added: "I want the fight to be united. And so, one way or another, I'm determined to do that and bring this coalition together and make sure we unite as a nation as well."

A source close to Mr Jenrick said today: "Rob's comments are about voters and not parties.

"He's clear we have to put Reform out of business and make the Conservatives the natural home for all those on the right, rebuilding the coalition of voters we had in 2019 and can have again.

"But he's under no illusions how difficult that is - we have to prove over time we've changed and can be trusted again."