Reform’s team to fix Britain: Robert Jenrick is revealed as ‘shadow chancellor’ alongside key figures who would lead Farage’s government
Nigel Farage today announced a Reform ‘shadow cabinet’ for the first time; former Tory minister Robert Jenrick took on a prominent role.
Mr Jenrick, who switched from the Conservative Party to Reform last month, was declared Reform’s ‘shadow chancellor’, overshadowed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
Three more roles were announced this morning, with Skegness MP and former leader Richard Tice becoming deputy prime minister if Reform wins the next election.
He will also be responsible for a ‘super department’ covering business, trade and energy.
Party leader Zia Yusuf, whose parents are immigrants, was announced as the ‘shadow home secretary’ at a briefing on tackling legal and illegal immigration, despite not being one of Reform’s eight MPs or a member of the House of Lords.
Mr Farage has been facing calls to form a proper front line and now stands before a team of eight MPs to rebut claims that he is the leader of a one-man band.
Mr Jenrick was previously a Cabinet minister under Boris Johnson as housing secretary and was the Conservative shadow justice secretary until he jumped ship.
But his only Treasury experience was an 18-month stint as Chancellor of the Exchequer, the most junior minister under Theresa May.
Today he thanked Farage for letting him stand up to Rachel Reeves and described her as an economic ‘wrecking ball’.
Mr Jenrick, who switched from the Conservatives to Reform last month, has been overshadowed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves by being associated with the party’s role in the treasury.
Mr Farage has been facing calls to form a proper front line and now stands before a team of eight MPs to rebut claims that he is the leader of a one-man band.
He is not the official shadow chancellor because that post is held by the Conservative Party’s Mel Stride.
But smaller parties, including the Liberal Democrats and the SNP, have previously referred to their frontbenchers as a ‘shadow cabinet’.
A new poll out today has revealed that Reform’s poll lead has narrowed to just five points.
YouGov puts Farage’s party on 24 per cent of the vote, down three points in a week. Labor and the Conservative Party’s votes were unchanged at 19 per cent and 18 per cent respectively, while the Greens were ahead by one point at 17 per cent.
Mr Tice said the party would create a new ‘super department’ in Government with a target of up to 4 per cent growth.
Mr. Tice, the party’s deputy leader, said the party would focus on using oil and gas to stimulate the economy and abandon net-zero targets.
He said the party would also create a ‘serious’ British wealth fund.
Mr Tice said: ‘If we achieve these things we can re-industrialize Britain, re-energize Britain, renew Britain and yes, rebuild Britain. These are absolutely necessary to create growth.’
