War of words over Russia, security and economy between Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage

Boris Johnson branded Nigel Farage a threat to national security last night, saying he had serious concerns about Reform UK leader's stance on Russia. He also condemned the party's approach to economics as ridiculous and questioned whether it will even exist by the next election, and he dismissed the idea of a deal with the Tories. The remarks mark Mr Johnson's first response to an attack on his record on immigration earlier this week, in which Mr Farage vowed that a future Reform government would prevent the arrivals he dubbed the 'Boriswave' from being allowed to settle permanently in Britain.

In an interview, Mr Johnson insisted he had confidence in the policy direction being taken by the Conservatives and in the energy and combativeness of party leader Kemi Badenoch. But he said he had 'serious concerns' about 'the approach to the economy of the Reform Party and the approach on our national security'. 'I think both of those will be severely tested in the years ahead, and people will actually want serious answers – and I think that the answers are going to be Conservative answers,' he predicted. He said the two priorities for Britain are reducing state spending and improving national security in the face of the 'threat of Russia', and that he had 'very serious anxieties' about both.

Johnson questioned whether Labour, whose grassroots 'are still basically pro-Moscow, Corbynista', or Reform 'gang, who are on record as saying that Nato provoked Putin's aggression', should lead the country. He added: 'What the world needs is UK leadership on this, and they need the UK to be strong and determined, and not to sound morally equivocal about transparent evil like invading Ukraine.'

Last year he accused Mr Farage of 'parroting Putin's lies' for suggesting that Ukraine had provoked Russia by seeking EU and Nato membership. He also targeted Reform's proposed policy of lifting the two-child benefit cap, which would cost an estimated £3.5 billion a year. 'That's ridiculous. How are we supposed to explain to hard-working people that their neighbours can take more and more money from the state?' he asked. 'We have got to reform welfare. We have got to spend less on public services.'

He mocked Reform's recent rise in the polls, saying that it was 'on zero' when he was in Downing Street because he had 'got Brexit done'. And he dismissed the idea of a deal with Mr Farage, saying: 'The answers to this country's problems are going to be Conservative answers. The Conservative Party is the oldest, most successful party in the world. It will come back.'

A spokesman for Reform UK hit back last night, saying: 'The Boriswave was the biggest betrayal in modern political history. No wonder he wants to attack us after we exposed his terrible record in office. Reform UK will clean up Boris Johnson's mess.'

Johnson previously accused Farage of parroting Putin's lies for suggesting Ukraine provoked Russia by seeking EU and Nato membership.