The Sky presenter disagreed with the Newark MP’s insistence that “there’s nothing to see here.”
This morning, Robert Jenrick got into a heated argument with Trevor Phillips of Sky News while defending Nigel Farage.
Reform UK’s Treasury spokeswoman laughed off a fresh allegation from the Sunday Times, which says Farage did not declare support from convicted criminal George Cottrell when he became an MP.
The disclosure coincides with the parliamentary watchdog’s ongoing probe into Farage’s failure to disclose a £5 million donation from a cryptocurrency billionaire before he was elected in 2024.
In both of these situations, the party maintains that Farage has not violated the rules.
On Sunday, however, Jenrick and Phillips got into a heated argument when the host questioned, “Is Nigel Farage now becoming more of a liability than an asset to Reform?”
“Trevor, don’t be foolish,” he said.
“You’ve lost half a dozen points [in the polls], you can hardly hear a word out of your leader, he’s keeping a low profile,” Phillips retorted.
“Nigel Farage is keeping a low profile?” Jenrick mocked. “Nigel Farage is traveling the nation; he met the US vice president in America a few days ago.”
“Remember, he’s a British Member of Parliament!” Phillips answered.
Jenrick added, “He’s also a leading character—likely to be the next prime minister.”
Phillips reminded him, “You still have to deal with the lingering questions if you like about the character of the party and the leader.”
Additionally, Jenrick asserted that Farage is “not going anywhere” and stated that “there’s nothing to see here” regarding the Cottrell disclosures.
Phillips reminded him, “You still have to deal with the lingering questions if you like about the character of the party and the leader.”
Additionally, Jenrick asserted that Farage is “not going anywhere” and stated that “there’s nothing to see here” regarding the Cottrell disclosures.
The media “seem fixated on Nigel,” he said, but that strategy is “not working” because Reform is still dominating the polls.
“Why not? Phillips remarked, “You just told me he will be the next prime minister.”
Following further back and forth, Phillips expressed his “astonishment.” Jenrick believes that Farage’s affiliations and past are irrelevant.
Additionally, the Newark MP disputed that Zia Yusuf, Reform’s home affairs spokesperson, had publicly disparaged him during a public altercation earlier this year.
In May, Jenrick told Sky that under a Reform government, a foreign national living in social housing would not be deported “exclusively.”
On X, however, Yusuf responded, “Robert’s response is not Reform policy.”
“As the person in charge of our deportation plan, I want to make sure that everyone is aware of our position: if a foreign national resides in public housing at taxpayer expense, they will automatically fail our economic test and be deported.”
On Sunday, though, Jenrick maintained that he and Yusuf are “basically on the same page.”
“No, you are on separate ends of the book. “You were wrong,” he said. Phillips stated.
“No,” Jenrick insisted. Here, we’re making two key points. We argue that social housing, a valuable resource that is scarce in this nation, ought to be reserved for British people. Reform would accomplish this.
Second, if you’re living in social housing in the UK and you’re not British, you won’t be allowed to stay there as you won’t pass the economic test.
“I’m afraid you will have to leave the country if you are unable to find private accommodation within the allotted three months.”
“So the top team has no divisions? Or has he intimidated you into a more difficult situation, as some spiteful individuals claim? The speaker posed the question.
He insisted that they are a cohesive team, saying, “No, none at all.”