Nigel Farage lashed out at Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick as he broke his silence on the Tory leadership contest.

The Reform UK leader insisted "does not believe a word" shadow housing secretary Ms Badenoch says.

The Clacton MP also claimed that Mr Jenrick's shift to the right of the Tory party is "almost certainly done for political gain and not out of conviction".

Mr Farage wrote on X: "Conservative Party Conference begins in earnest tomorrow.

"Until now, I have refrained from intervening in the upcoming leadership election — but the time has come.

"Kemi Badenoch has spent weeks positioning herself as tough on immigration.

"But in 2018 she campaigned in Parliament to increase legal migration, and was the biggest champion for students bringing in dependents.

"I don't believe a word that she says on anything.

"Formerly a man that believed in nothing, Robert Jenrick now pitches himself as the great hardliner.

"This is almost certainly done for political gain and not out of conviction. He will divide the party. I doubt that Jenrick will last long if he wins."

It comes as the Tory leadership hopefuls are set to make their pitches to the membership as the party's conference gets under way.

Ms Badenoch, Mr Jenrick, shadow home secretary James Cleverly and shadow security minister Tom Tugendhat are all vying to succeed Rishi Sunak.

The candidates will all have an opportunity to address the conference - which runs until Wednesday - and their campaigns will be lobbying MPs before parliamentarians pick the final two on October 10.

Members will choose between those two, with the result declared on November 2.