Nigel Farage should not be rewarded like a “spoilt child” when he makes controversial comments, James Cleverly has declared.
The Home Secretary said he “disregards much of what Nigel says” and branded the new Reform UK leader a “showman”.
Senior Tories called for Nigel Farage to apologise after he accused Rishi Sunak of not understanding “our culture”.
Mr Farage was attacked for using “dog whistle” tactics over the Prime Minister’s ethnicity – something he denied.
And Home Secretary Mr Cleverly told Times Radio: “I disregard much of what Nigel says.
“He is a showman. He likes getting he likes getting attention. He does things and says things so broadcasters like you ask serious politicians like me questions.
“The bottom line is I’m not going to play Nigel’s game.
“He does these things to get attention and just like a spoilt child, I don’t think he should be rewarded for doing so.
“The Prime Minister is a hard working public servant. He is absolutely dedicated to the protection of this country. That is why I’m very proud to be a part of his government and supporting its work.”
Asked about his predecessor Suella Braverman claiming the Tories will eventually need to embrace Reform UK, Mr Cleverly said: “Nigel has made it clear he wants to destroy the Conservative Party and I don’t embrace people that want to destroy my party and hurt the British people.
“We are committed to getting a broad base of support across the British electorate, all different age groups.
“And that is what the Conservative Party has always done. That is the party that we are and that is the party we will continue to be.”
Former home secretary Suella Braverman has suggested the Conservatives should welcome Mr Farage into the party, as there was not much difference between the Tories and Reform.
But speaking to the PA news agency, Mr Farage rejected the suggestion.
The Reform UK leader said: “Well, look, I mean, Suella Braverman said I should rejoin the Conservatives because our policies are very similar.
“I don’t think so, I don’t think so.
“What they’ve done, allowing nearly two and a half million people to settle in the country in the last two years, is most certainly not our policy.
“So I do like her, I do admire her, but I’m afraid at the moment all marriage plans are off.”
Mr Farage was a Conservative Party member between 1978 and 1992.
In an interview with The Times, Ms Braverman said the Tories are a “broad church” and should not exclude anyone who wants “Conservatives to get elected”.
Ms Braverman told The Times: “We need to, in the future, to find some way to work together because there shouldn’t be big differences between us.
“I would welcome Nigel into the Conservative Party. There’s not much difference really between him and many of the policies that we stand for.
“We are a broad church, we should be a welcoming party and an inclusive party and if someone is supportive of the party, that’s a pre-condition and they want Conservatives to get elected then they should be welcomed.”
Her comments come days after a poll suggested Mr Farage is the most popular option to succeed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservatives if Labour wins the General Election.
A poll by Redfield and Wilton, conducted for The Independent, questioned 2,000 adults on Wednesday and Thursday, showed 19% of people think Mr Farage should take over from Mr Sunak, with 22% of 2019 Conservative voters questioned agreeing.
Conservative former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has meanwhile claimed the Tories are facing an “existential crisis” following Mr Farage’s return to frontline politics.
“Farage coming out with what he said last week in terms of standing for a seat, that has accelerated their support and that’s what’s turned this into an existential crisis for the Conservatives,” Mr Kwarteng