Nigel Farage unveiled Reform’s first ‘shadow cabinet’ as he pitched his party as the opposition to Labour.

Declaring Reform no longer a one-man band, the leader announced that Robert Jenrick would become his chancellor-in-waiting.

He made Richard Tice his deputy as well as the spokesman for business, trade and energy and Zia Yusuf his home affairs representative.

Mr Jenrick’s fellow Tory defector Suella Braverman was named education and skills spokesman and handed responsibility for the equalities brief.

Writing for the Daily Mail, he said it was time to boot out Sir Keir Starmer and his ‘rag-tag collection of sixth-form common room socialists’.

‘For far too long, politics in this country has been defined by short-termism, timidity and a refusal to confront the big questions,’ he said.

‘Politics used to be about the tough decisions. Nowadays, our complacent political class is more concerned with being liked, obsessed by focus groups and social media ‘likes’ rather than ordinary voters’ concerns.

‘The British people deserve something better. They deserve conviction. Above all, they deserve leadership that is unafraid to speak the truth.’

Nigel Farage unveiled the core of a Reform ‘shadow cabinet’ for the first time, with ex-Tory minister Robert Jenrick handed a key role. Pictured: Zia Yusuf, Jenrick, Richard Tice, Farage and Suella Braverman 

The party also named philosopher professor James Orr as its head of policy.

Barely a month after leaving the Conservatives, Mr Jenrick was handed responsibility for the party’s approach to the economy.

The former shadow justice secretary thanked Mr Farage for allowing him to ‘oppose the wrecking ball that is Rachel Reeves’.

He vowed to ‘fix Britain’s broken economy’, cut the welfare bill and become the ‘only party that will be as careful with your money as you are’.

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Mr Tice said his new ‘super department’ would aim to increase growth to four per cent of GDP and reindustrialise Britain.

The MP once tipped as Mr Farage’s pick for chancellor said he would use oil and gas production to fix the economy and abandon net zero goals.

He also said the party would create a British wealth fund to support industry, buy British products and build affordable homes.

Mr Yusuf promised to cut migration, stop the boats and return those who are illegally in the country.

Mrs Braverman, former Tory home secretary, said she would scrap the Equality Act and the equalities department if Reform won power.

She also said the party would set a target of 50per cent of young people going into ‘trades’ rather than to university.

Mr Farage announced the appointments as ‘shadow’ roles although the terminology is reserved for the official opposition – the Conservatives.

Asked whether his team were happy with his appointments, the leader said he would not ‘tolerate dissent’.

‘If people mess about, behave badly and are disloyal, they won’t be here very long,’ he told a Westminster press conference.

It comes after questions about whether the former leader Mr Tice was happy with his new role having previously suggested he would be appointed Reform’s chancellor in waiting.

In his piece for the Daily Mail, Mr Farage concluded: ‘From now on, I will hear no more about my party being a one man band.

‘Because this Shadow Cabinet is more than a list of names. It is a statement of intent.

‘The British people are fed up of broken promises. They want a country that works – for those who contribute, who care about their communities and who believe in fairness and freedom.’