Robert Jenrick and Zia Yusuf erupt in furious online catfight: 'Clown!'

Political rivals Robert Jenrick and Zia Yusuf entered into a brutal war of words on social media today as the pair went about slamming their opponent's record. The back and forth on X saw the pair refer to each other as a "clown" and "useless", as the rivalry between Reform and the Tories heats up.

It was sparked by a new glossy video from the Tories' shadow Justice Secretary, who highlighted fresh claims that mass immigration over the past two decades has hiked rent costs for Britons. Citing a new paper by the Onwards think tank, Mr Jenrick said: "Londoners are paying an estimated £216 extra a month in rent because of immigration levels since 2001. Across England that figure is approximately £132. Mass migration is making young people poorer."

While the video was quickly viewed by nearly 400,000 since it was published at 8am, and racked up 6,500 likes, top Reform man Zia Yusuf slammed Robert Jenrick over the Tories' record on immigration.

The former chairman responded: "Does anyone remember who was in the government that inflicted this catastrophe on us?

Concluding his reply with an emoji of a clown, he asked: "Come to think of it, who was Secretary of State for Housing?"

Mr Yusuf's question was quickly answered by Mr Jenrick, who fanned the flames of the row by promoting his record at the Ministry of Housing.

He boasted: "I got housing starts to their highest level since 1987. I fought tooth and nail to cut migration and secured the biggest ever reduction.

"Did the last government do enough? No. That's why I resigned. But enough about me. Why do your own colleagues call you Zia Useless?"

Refusing to let the top Tory have the last say, Mr Yusuf issued another reply claiming Mr Jenrick has only become hardline on immigration in recent years to hurt reform and become Tory leader before going "back to the centre [ground], where you came from".

He referenced claims that Mr Jenrick recently dined with David Cameron and George Osborne in London as proof of his real political views.

Revealed by the Spectator magazine, Mr Jenrick was reported as gaining "unlikely support" as a potential replacement for Kemi Badenoch.

A close ally of Mr Cameron's claimed he "now thinks Jenrick should take over when the time comes."

It was also claimed that the shadow Justice Secretary is "in touch" with Boris Johnson.