Reform UK councillor Darren Grimes has hit back at Robert Jenrick after the shadow minister’s attacks on Nigel Farage.

Speaking on GB News this morning, the Shadow Justice Secretary said Farage has “got into bed” with Keir Starmer after announcing policy shifts on welfare.

In response, Grimes pointed to Jenrick’s record working with the likes of David Cameron and previous Tory failures on tackling the migrant crisis.

“He stood by as a minister through several portfolios when the Tory idea of solving our demographic issues was to import millions through mass migration”, he told Camilla Tominey.

Darren Grimes lashed out at Jenrick

“Look how that has worked out. You see just this week that benefits claims by foreign nationals have doubled to nearly £1 billion a month.

“A £1 billion. That’s their brilliant demographic strategy. From £461 million to £941 million in just three years. That happened under their watch, under the Boris wave of mass migration.

“The idea we’re some sort of bleeding heart liberal or even socialist… I was with another broadcaster and it was put to me that I’m some sort of fascist.

“Now I’m a socialist. People can’t make up how they want to pigeon hole the Reform Party. It’s because we stand for one thing, and that’s the national interest for common sense.

Robert Jenrick joined Camilla Tominey on GB News GB NEWS

“Labour could lift 350,000 kids out of relative poverty tomorrow by scrapping the two-child benefit cap but they won’t. They would rather keep this policy in place whilst lecturing everybody about compassion and social justice.

“If you come over here, as over a thousand did yesterday, you will get absolutely everything for free. If you have three children and you go through a nasty divorce, you end up being punished as a third child.

“Do you think that’s fair? I don’t.”

Jenrick has veered to the right in recent years which has led many to draw comparisons with Nigel Farage.

The ex-immigration minister was keen to draw a line of distinction on the Camilla Tominey show this morning as he lashed out at the Reform UK leader’s recent announcements.

He told Camilla: "I know he likes a pint or two but it feels to me that he had one too many when he announced he would spend £3.5 billion extra on welfare."

Jenrick criticised Farage for getting "into bed with Keir Starmer on hiking the Welfare Bill" during what he described as a significant policy announcement this week.

Jenrick dismissed suggestions that his rightward shift was motivated by the threat of losing his Newark seat to Reform UK.

He criticised Reform's leadership beyond Farage, targeting party chairman Zia Yusuf for promoting "whacky cryptocurrency policy in Las Vegas".

"I'm all for innovation but this is not the number one priority for my constituents in Newark," Jenrick said.

He argued that Reform lacked credible solutions to Britain's challenges, stating: "I don't think Reform has the answers to the problems this country faces. That's what my party is focused on."