Cabinet minister Kemi Badenoch has launched a furious broadside against Reform UK, accusing Nigel Farage's party of poisoning British politics with damaging conspiracy theories and actively harming the country's democratic process.
The Business Secretary delivered her stinging critique following a contentious BBC Question Time leaders' special, where Reform leader Richard Tice faced intense scrutiny over his party's policies and online rhetoric.
In a remarkable intervention, Mrs Badenoch declared: "They are damaging democracy. They know they cannot form a government. They know they cannot win. All they can do is take seats away from people who are actually trying to fix the country's problems."
The senior Conservative figure tore into Reform's campaign tactics, suggesting the party was deliberately preying on public fears with misleading claims. "What they are doing is whipping up anger with no solution, getting people to protest vote, and actually making it more difficult to have a good government that will change things."
Question Time Clash Exposes Deep Divisions
The political firestorm erupted after Mr Tice's appearance on the BBC debate programme, where he faced tough questioning about Reform's controversial social media output. The party has repeatedly shared content claiming the UK is secretly preparing for "net zero lockdowns" and that climate change measures represent a form of "communism."
When challenged about these assertions, Mr Tice attempted to deflect, criticising the BBC's reporting standards instead of addressing the conspiracy theories directly.
Mrs Badenoch's intervention represents the most direct and personal attack from a senior Conservative on the Reform party to date, signalling growing concern within Tory ranks about the threat posed by Farage's movement to their electoral prospects.
Battle for the Conservative Vote Intensifies
Political analysts suggest Mrs Badenoch's comments reflect mounting panic within Conservative headquarters about Reform's ability to split the right-wing vote. With the general election campaign entering its crucial final stages, every seat contested between the two parties could prove decisive.
The Business Secretary, often touted as a future Conservative leadership contender, made her position unequivocally clear: "We need to make sure that we are not distracted by people who are essentially grifters, who are trying to take votes, get donations, and then disappear off into the sunset."
This dramatic escalation in rhetoric between establishment Conservatives and the insurgent Reform movement sets the stage for a bitterly contested final week of campaigning, with the future of both parties hanging in the balance.
