Reform is falling apart – and Robert Jenrick’s ‘boo hoo’ comment exposes exactly why

What’s the story?

"Oh boo hoo".

That was Robert Jenrick’s response to a female protester being clubbed over the head by a party supporter at its 2026 conference, while another pulled on her hair in a violent scrum.

He has suggested the woman, who heckled leader Nigel Farage during a speech at the event, should "get a life", while fellow former Tory Lee Anderson has suggested Reform voters should start a "whip-round" to raise money for the male attacker.

Jenrick's childish comments have been criticised for minimising violence against women.

"That poor girl," said Farage, as the protester was dragged from the conference hall.

"She looked like she was going to do herself an injury, didn't she?"

The protester, who has disrupted previous events, said the incident at the Reform conference was "by far the worst" handling she'd experienced from both the public and security, and was left bruised by the attack.

An ITN reporter was punched in the face at the same conference.

Jon Sopel says Jenrick appeared to be "condoning an acceptable level of political violence," and that hecklers at a party conference could expect to get "a good kicking".

Reform, he adds, has made a "big deal" about the dangers of political violence, with Nigel Farage claiming that the £5 million gift he received from a crypto billionaire was to pay for his personal protection.

“You cannot have it both ways,” says Emily Maitlis..

“You cannot decide to be the party that has to take a £5 million donation because you're so concerned about your own security. You cannot be the party that says I've had death threats more than any other politician and then turn round and allow your own supporters to assault whoever they want, and end up with the words 'boo hoo'.

“There is something that is just not right about trying to claim the moral high ground in this whole question of political violence, then turning away when it happens to people that you don't particularly agree with.”

Violence for me, but not for thee

But the fists (and walking aids) that flew at the Reform conference were not the only unsettling scenes from the weekend. Large groups of masked, anti-migrant protesters blocked the ports of Dover, and when Jenrick was asked about these scenes of political violence, which he condemned, but added that he understood the anger.

“You either condemn it or you don't condemn it,” says Jon.

“Saying you understand why these people are angry, is a nod to those people who are doing it, saying they shouldn't be doing it, but they're with you on the frustration.”

Maitlis believes Jenrick playing both sides on the gangs in Dover is due to the possibility that those involved may well be Reform voters.

“If you had 400 people in balaclavas, in the olden days you would have assumed that they were fringe,” she says.

“But now they might actually be supporting one of the parties of a future government.

“I mean that's mental, isn't it?”

The question now, The News Agents say, is whether Reform UK is a serious political party, or simply an insurgency movement which can do what it likes, break the rules, and act like a "guerrilla army".

"It can't be both," says Jon.

“The party doesn't know which way to go: whether it needs to broaden its appeal and bring in disaffected Tories and the people in the commuter belts of Surrey and Hampshire and wherever else.

“Or whether it needs to be going towards the hard right of Restore Britain and the Tommy Robinson brigade because they think there may be votes there.”

Does Reform have bigger fish to fry?

Strangely enough, the sight of Reform supporters (and security) staff manhandling a young woman and a TV reporter is probably not the biggest issue within Reform right now.

On the very same day, a Channel 4 investigation was broadcast showing Farage discussing taking a half million donation from an overseas donor, which would have broken the law.

Video footage showed Farage celebrating the potential deal with oysters and champagne.

“What you had in that video was something even a diehard Reform supporter couldn't deny,” Maitlis says.

“It's your guy. He's sitting there. He's in a little cabin. He's had his oysters. That's Nigel Farage. Do you recognise him? It's not a deepfake.”

But their supporters certainly did try to deny it when Lewis Goodall spoke to Reform voters at its conference.

“Reform is saying it's an establishment stitch up, but what is more establishment than a couple of posh boys meeting in Mayfair Gentlemen's Clubs to try and arrange half a million pound deals, sealed over champagne and oysters, with a helicopter to collect you to take you to Clacton,” Jon says.

“My God, please spare me the absolute bullshit that you are an anti-establishment party.

“It was all laid bare in that film just how establishment they are, and they are trying to cut corners.”

Listen to the latest episode of The News Agents.