Nigel Farage was nowhere to be seen as Robert Jenrick stepped into the spotlight to unveil Reform UK’s latest policies for small businesses. With the party conference little more than a week away, Farage’s continued absence has left Jenrick and Richard Tice handling the front-of-house duties.

The latest press conference came amid claims that Farage has retreated from the media spotlight following the Guardian’s revelation of his £5 million gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne. Once a constant presence in front of cameras and reporters, Farage has since given only a notably soft interview to Jeremy Kyle on TalkTV.

His reluctance to face tougher questioning has become increasingly conspicuous. Even Reform’s latest event was overshadowed by questions about where its leader was — and whether his self-imposed exile had done anything to improve his mood.

Farage’s recent comments about immigrants allegedly being on the verge of forming a standing army and going to war with the UK also formed part of the backdrop. The article notes that even Kyle struggled to keep a straight face during the discussion.

So it was left to Jenrick to carry the latest Reform summer press conference. He was tasked with presenting a package of proposals aimed at small businesses, despite the article describing the promises as unfunded.

The proposals included relaxing data-protection rules, raising the VAT threshold for businesses to £150,000 and giving anyone kept on hold by HMRC for 30 minutes a £30 tax credit. Jenrick also said grandparents and parents would be able to invest up to £250,000 in a child’s business tax-free.

That £250,000 proposal quickly became a flashpoint. The article questioned the idea that ordinary families would have a quarter of a million pounds available to invest, while also raising questions about how Reform would fund its various giveaways.

Jenrick insisted that dealing with HMRC was personal to him. But the press conference was also hit by broader questions over Reform’s internal dynamics, with the article portraying tensions involving Farage, Tice, Zia Yusuf and Jenrick.

The questioning became more awkward when journalists turned to energy prices, the war with Iran and Reform’s polling position. Jenrick also attacked Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch over claims involving conversations with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Then came the question Reform appeared least prepared to answer. A Press Association reporter asked when the party would turn to defence, foreign affairs and health, after it had already exhausted many of the subjects for which it had spokespeople.

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Jenrick hesitated before arguing that Reform’s lack of MPs it could trust on those issues should be regarded as a strength rather than a weakness. He rejected the suggestion that the party was simply a one-man operation.

Instead, the defence was that Reform had Jenrick and Tice at the front of the operation. With Farage absent and the conference looming, however, the spotlight remains firmly fixed on the party’s leadership and its ability to keep the show moving.

With Nige still sulking, it was left to Honest Bob to unveil Reform UK’s latest 'policies'

Farage hasn’t been seen in public for months, he’s hiding.

At best speaking to invited audiences at private estates, or more laughably performing to camera with Reform UK activists pretending to be members of the general public.

Then of course telling porkies that the police warned him of threats, which the police promptly state they did not.