THE Conservative Party can regain the public’s trust and “turn the country around”, according to Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick.

Speaking on GB News, he said: “Obviously, I’m very sad to see Danny [Kruger] leave the Conservative Party. He’s a personal friend of mine, and he’s somebody I hold in very high regard, but I disagree with him profoundly on this issue.

“Did the Conservative Party make mistakes when it was in government? Yes, absolutely, and I have been as frank as anyone about that. Can we turn around the concerted party over time and regain the public’s trust and confidence? Yes, I believe that we can do.

“Is the country in a mess, as Danny has said? Yes, I think it is. I think there are massive challenges now, with flatlining economic growth, with mass migration, with a state that just doesn’t seem to be working for people.

“Can we turn the country around? Yes, I think we can, if we understand how we can bring forward serious, credible solutions to those challenges, and that’s the task for the Conservative Party right now.

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“It is going to be a long road. There’s a mountain to climb, but I do believe we can make it happen.”

Asked if he is tempted to jump ship and join Reform UK, he said: “No. Look, it’s only a year into a four or five year parliament. A lot can and will happen in the years ahead.

“The most important thing is to focus on changing the Conservative Party, and that means being painfully honest about the mistakes that we made when we were in government, levelling with the public about those, demonstrating that we are a different party to the one that we were when we were in office, and then bringing forward serious answers so that we can begin to regain the trust of the public.

“That’s what I’m focusing on in my job as Shadow Justice Secretary. That’s what I want the whole party to do in the years ahead.”

He added: “Danny’s made his decision, and I respect that, although I disagree with it, what I need to do now, and the fellow members of the Conservative Party, is focus on the future. There’s no point looking backwards, and we’ve got to be working as hard as we possibly can to hold Labour to account and to be the best version of ourselves.

“I think you can see in the last couple of weeks some of the progress that has, in fact, been made the way in which the Conservative Party held Labour to account that led to the resignation of Angela Rayner for evading her taxes, holding Keir Starmer to account for his foolish, irresponsible decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington.

“That’s led to his resignation, and now ensuring that the right questions are being asked on that – this is the work of opposition. That’s what we need to keep on doing now, and I think over time, and I do believe it’s going to be a long road we can begin to regain the trust of the public and demonstrate the Tory party is a different party to the one of the recent past.”

Asked if Kemi Badenoch is the right person to lead the party into the next general election, he said: “It’s a very difficult job being Leader of the Opposition, particularly after you’ve just suffered your worst ever election defeat.

“Kemi was elected a year ago. She has been holding Labour to account. She’s been forcing change on a number of very important issues, from grooming gangs to the winter fuel allowance. And I’m supporting her.

“I wouldn’t have joined the Shadow Cabinet if I didn’t believe that, and I’m working as hard as I can to bring forward serious answers to the challenges that I see in the justice space, whether it’s a two-tier sentencing, early release of prisoners onto our streets, the fact that so much of Britain almost feels lawless right now, with epidemics of shoplifting and burglary and mobile phone theft, you name it, that’s my focus at the moment.”