LONDON (Realist English). Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and senior Conservative Robert Jenrick will meet US Vice-President JD Vance during his visit to the UK this week, but no meeting is planned with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.
Vance will hold a one-on-one meeting with Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, on Tuesday. Jenrick’s political profile has risen in recent months through a series of viral social media videos and his positioning to the right of Badenoch on key issues, including calls to leave the European Convention on Human Rights and tough action on irregular migration. He is widely viewed as retaining leadership ambitions after losing to Badenoch in last year’s Tory leadership contest.
A US official confirmed that Vance will meet Farage on Wednesday, building on the Reform UK leader’s long-standing relationship with US President Donald Trump. With Reform UK polling ahead of the Conservatives, Farage has used the spotlight to contrast himself with Badenoch, who has faced criticism for avoiding high-profile media appearances.
A Conservative spokesperson said that Badenoch’s and Vance’s teams had discussed a meeting but “couldn’t make it work with schedules.” Vance’s press secretary, Taylor Van Kirk, stressed that the vice-president had “specifically tried to see Kemi Badenoch — a friend of his — but a meeting was not possible due to conflicting schedules,” rejecting suggestions of a deliberate snub.
Badenoch, speaking from the Isle of Wight on Tuesday, insisted she would “be fighting the next election” and argued she was focused on restoring the Conservative Party’s appeal after “our worst historic defeat.”
Vance’s UK trip has included political engagements alongside a family holiday in the Cotswolds. Last week he met Foreign Secretary David Lammy for extended talks at the Chevening country residence, discussing foreign policy, the war in Ukraine, and shared personal experiences. The meeting was followed by discussions with advisers to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European diplomats, ahead of Trump’s expected meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
Vance, seen as a potential successor to Trump, is using the visit to strengthen transatlantic political ties while positioning himself for a future presidential bid.
