Politics

Robert Jenrick attacks Kemi Badenoch over reported Giorgia Meloni comments

The Reform UK MP accused the Conservative leader of lying about her Rome meeting while launching several new party policy proposals.

Updated Aug 26, 2026 · 15:33 UTC1 reports

The short version

Reform UK MP Robert Jenrick launched a personal attack on Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, accusing her of fabricating details about her recent meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
A Conservative spokesperson rejected the claims, accusing Reform UK of making things up to distract the public.
During the same event, Jenrick unveiled several policy proposals, including replacing UK data protection laws, scrapping the 2035 zero-emission vehicle mandate, and giving a £30 tax credit to people held on hold by HMRC for over 30 minutes.

Reform UK MP Robert Jenrick accused Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch of telling a 'pack of lies' regarding her meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.[The Guardian]
The dispute followed initial reporting by The Times that Meloni urged Badenoch to resist making a deal with Reform UK, an assertion that was later removed from the article.[The Guardian]
A spokesperson for Badenoch denied that the Conservatives made false claims about the meeting and stated Reform UK was 'peddling conspiracy theories'.[The Guardian]
Jenrick outlined proposals to replace UK data protection regulations with a New Zealand-style framework, widen investor tax reliefs, offer a £30 credit for HMRC calls on hold over 30 minutes, and scrap the 2035 zero-emission vehicle mandate.[The Guardian]
A Labour spokesperson criticized Reform UK's data protection proposal, stating Jenrick failed to specify which safeguards would be removed.[The Guardian]

The exact source of the initial claim regarding Giorgia Meloni's alleged advice to Kemi Badenoch remains unclear, though a Conservative spokesperson denied originating it.[The Guardian]