War of words as former friend of Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick wants to oust him as Newark’s MP

A former friend and Conservative colleague of Robert Jenrick has thrown his hat into the ring to replace him as Newark’s MP at the next election.

Reform UK and the Conservatives have already begun a war of words over the record of both parties in Newark – a seat which has been won by the Tory candidate at general elections for the last 25 years.

Mr Jenrick had been the Conservative MP for the area since 2014 and won the seat again for the party at the last election, before he then defected to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in January this year.

The move, which was not accompanied by a by-election for voters to decide whether they were happy with their MP changing parties, angered Mr Jenrick’s Conservative colleagues.

One of those former colleagues, Sam Smith, has now entered the race to oust Mr Jenrick as the Conservative Party begins its process to select its Newark candidate for the next general election.

Nationally, the Conservative Party is selecting who its candidates will be in seats across the country ahead of the next general election – an election which is not currently due to take place until 2029.

The Nottingham Post understands that applications for the Newark candidacy will officially open in September and that the process should be complete by October.

Councillor Smith, who leads the Conservative opposition group at Nottinghamshire County Council and who previously ran the authority, said he would be entering the race.

The councillor, who also serves on Gedling Borough Council, said: “As a Newark Conservative county councillor, I’ve delivered for Newark locally, with libraries protected, roads repaired, schools improved and homes protected from flooding.

“Now I’m ready to deliver for Newark nationally — leaving the ECHR to stop the boats, cutting stamp duty to get Newark moving, protecting our green spaces and agricultural land from Labour’s housing and solar farm plans, and delivering the dualling of the A46, which will ease congestion and boost the local economy with more local jobs being created.

“Newark needs an MP who puts Newark first. I’m local, I know our communities and I have a proud track record of delivering for Newark. Now I’m ready to take that record to Westminster to ensure Newark has a strong national voice.”

A Reform UK spokesperson said: “The people of Newark should be aware that when Councillor Sam Smith was Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, he failed to deliver the long-term investment and planning our roads desperately need, while increasing council tax by nearly five per cent under his Conservative administration.

“This is a man who doesn’t live in Newark, doesn’t live in his Newark division, and represents a ward nearly 20 miles away in Gedling. His priorities are simply not in Newark.

“People in Newark are fed up with the Tories. Their record on mass immigration, a ballooning welfare state and costly net zero targets is why they are languishing in the polls at third place.”

Cllr Smith told the Nottingham Post that he is in the process of moving house into Newark town at the end of September.

Responding to Reform’s criticism, he added: “Whilst leader of the Conservative-run council, supported by then Tory MP Jenrick, I increased road repair spending to a record £72 million, which saw lots of roads across Newark resurfaced, including Appleton Gate, Barnby Road and Main Street in Balderton.

“Newark voted Conservative in 2024 for Conservative policies and until the general election, they’re stuck with a Reform MP representing economically socialist policies, none of which Newark voted for.”

The Newark election result ended up being closer than usual at the 2024 election, with Labour achieving its highest share of the vote for 20 years.