TORY leader Kemi Badenoch is under pressure to sack Robert Jenrick as shadow justice secretary after he called for a pact with the hard-right Reform party.

Mr Jenrick, who was Ms Badenoch’s rival for the Conservative leadership last year, warned a private Tory meeting last month that “you head towards the 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’m not prepared for that to happen.

“I want the right to be united. One way or another, I’m determined to do that and to bring this coalition together and make sure we unite as a nation as well.” 

His remarks were unearthed by Sky News.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer taunted Ms Badenoch in the Commons, telling her that Mr Jenrick and Reform leader Nigel Farage were going to “cook up their joint manifesto.”

Ms Badenoch has already indicated that she may allow local pacts with Reform after next month’s elections, which look likely to see major Tory losses to the Farageists.