Explosive leaked messages have revealed a bitter civil war raging within the Conservative Party, as two senior government ministers launched extraordinary attacks on Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party.
Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch and policing minister Chris Philp were caught in a stunning breach of party discipline after their private WhatsApp conversations were leaked to The Sunday Times.
Badenoch's Blistering Attack
In the most damaging revelation, Ms Badenoch described Reform UK as "not a proper political party" and dismissed their recent local election performance as insignificant. The cabinet minister's comments directly contradict the official Conservative line of treating Reform as a serious electoral threat.
Her private assessment reveals the deep frustration among senior Tories about Farage's influence, particularly his ability to draw votes away from Conservative candidates in key constituencies.
Philp's Polling Panic
Meanwhile, Chris Philp expressed alarm about Reform's growing support, acknowledging they were "sucking votes away from us" in a manner that could prove devastating for Conservative prospects on July 4th.
The policing minister's concerns highlight the genuine fear within Tory ranks that Farage's party could cost them dozens of seats by splitting the right-wing vote.
Leadership Contender Exposed
The timing couldn't be more damaging for Ms Badenoch, widely seen as a leading contender to replace Rishi Sunak should the Conservatives lose the election. Her private comments directly undermine the party's public messaging and reveal the deep ideological divisions that have plagued the Tories for years.
Political analysts suggest these leaks represent the opening salvo in what promises to be a brutal leadership contest once the election results are known.
Electoral Consequences
With Reform UK consistently polling between 10-12%, the leaked messages confirm what many Conservatives privately fear: that Farage's return to frontline politics could prove catastrophic for their electoral chances.
The revelations come as senior Tories had been attempting to present a united front against what they describe as the "existential threat" posed by Labour under Keir Starmer.
These leaked conversations suggest that behind the scenes, the Conservative Party remains deeply divided about how to handle the Reform UK challenge, with just weeks remaining until voters go to the polls.
