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Robert Jenrick told Conservative members there will be no agreement with Nigel Farage if he is elected party leader to replace Rishi Sunak.
The former home secretary, who resigned because he did not think Mr Sunak was strong enough on the ground Deportation flights to Rwandaemerged as the leading right-wing candidate in the party leadership race.
Speaking at an event in Upminster, Essex this week, Mr Jenrick said at the party Party members said it planned to win back Conservative voters who defected to Farage’s reforms.
But unlike his right-wing compatriot, Suella Braverman – Who is most supported among party members? But struggling to get enough MPs to nominate her, Mr Jenrick said there would be no deal with Mr Farage.
In June, Ms Braverman suggested that the Conservatives should welcome Mr Farage into the party because there was little difference between the Conservatives and the Reformers.
Mr Jenrick’s rebuff comes after it emerged the Reform Party fears his nomination more than anything else and hopes his rival Tom Tugendhat, more associated with centrist members of the One Nation party, will win instead.
Several sources claimed that former Conservative MP turned Reform MP in the UK, Lee Anderson, had said Mr Jenrick “would be the biggest problem”.
Mr Anderson denied this and said The Independent“None of them worry us. Just look at their majority.”
But the allies of Mr. Tugendhat He believes he can follow in David Cameron’s footsteps in the party leadership election, saying he could win the leadership contest by establishing himself as the frontrunner at the party conference.
The old one Prime Ministernow Lord Cameron, was the unexpected winner of the 2005 competition, despite starting behind the bookmakers’ favourite, David Davis.
But a famous speech, delivered without notes at the party’s grassroots rally that year, transformed his electoral fortunes.
As the standard-bearer for the One Nation Conservative MPs, Mr Tugendhat may still struggle to win over more right-wing Tory members if he manages to reach the final two.
An ally of Mr Tugendhat said: “People don’t always understand how much people in the party want to win power. Yes, they are more right-wing at the moment. But what they are looking for is a candidate who can win and ensure they get back to 10 Downing Street as soon as possible.”
“They also realize that they made a mistake with Liz Truss “They are determined not to do it again. They will look for a winner and one who can assert himself as such, as David Cameron did.”
Mrs Truss lasted less than two months as Prime Minister before being ousted by her own MPs. She was replaced by Rishi Sunakbut he announced his intention to step down as leader following the disastrous general election result earlier this month.
He will remain interim party leader while the party spends the next four months choosing his successor.
Mr Tugendhat and Mr Jenrick both secured the necessary support to move forward, before nominations closed on Monday afternoon. Former Home Secretary James Cleverly also secured the necessary nominations, as did former Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride.
Former business secretary Kem Badenoch, who has accused his rivals of playing dirty tricks on him, and another former home secretary, Priti Patel, are also expected to appear on the ballot.
MPs will narrow the list of candidates to two finalists, before allowing party members to choose.
But before that stage, there will be a “beauty parade” at the party’s annual conference, in which female candidates will try to establish themselves as favourites for the post.