Farage promotes Jenrick and Braverman as he unveils new Reform front bench

Nigel Farage said Reform UK was “the voice of opposition” to Labour as he unveiled his party’s first frontbench appointments.

Two Conservative defectors, Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman, were given spokesperson roles along with senior Reform figures Richard Tice and Zia Yusuf.

Mr Jenrick, a former communities secretary under Boris Johnson, was named Reform’s economic spokesman barely a month after joining the party from the Tories.

Pledging to oppose “oppose the wrecking ball that is Rachel Reeves and this Labour Government”, he said he would put together “the most comprehensive plan of any political party” to “fix Britain’s broken economy” and cut the welfare bill.

Prior to Mr Jenrick’s defection, both Mr Tice and Mr Yusuf had been regarded as potential economic spokesmen for Reform.

But Mr Tice, the deputy leader, was named as the spokesman for business, trade and energy, proposing a new “super department” aimed at increasing growth to 4% of GDP.

He said the party would focus on using oil and gas to help boost the economy and would abandon net-zero targets.

He said the party would also create a “serious” British wealth fund.

Mr Tice also insisted he was “delighted” with his appointment, while Mr Farage issued a warning that he would not “tolerate dissent” in public among his senior team.

Mr Farage said: “If people mess about, behave badly and are disloyal, they won’t be here very long.”

Mr Yusuf, the party’s policy chief, was named home affairs spokesman, promising to cut both legal and illegal migration, including by withdrawing from any international treaty preventing mass deportations.

Ms Braverman, who was twice sacked as home secretary, was made Reform’s spokeswoman for education and equalities just weeks after joining the party.

She said Reform would set of target of 50% of young people going into “trades” rather than to university and scrap the equalities department.

Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said Reform’s front bench “a line-up that looks more like a tribute act to the old Conservative Party than a credible alternative”.

He added: “Even now, some are already eyeing their next career move, while others who were clearly expecting promotion have been left out in the cold.

“Today’s underwhelming announcement proves Reform remains a one-man band.”

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper described Reform’s front bench as a “Reform-Tory ‘Fifty Shades of Blue’ love-in”.

She said: “Robert Jenrick voted for Liz Truss’s economic disaster of a mini-budget, now he wants to do the same damage to the economy all over again.

“Nigel Farage is welcome to give his colleagues new name badges but it won’t change the opinion of the country, that Conservatives, current or former, are totally unfit to govern.”