Kemi Badenoch has insisted that Britain “is not broken” in a direct rebuke to Robert Jenrick, who defected to Reform UK on Thursday. The Conservative leader sought to offer a more positive vision of the nation, contrasting with Jenrick’s claim that the country is “broken” due to failures by both the Conservatives and Labour.
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Badenoch said: “Ours is still one of the most successful, resilient and influential countries on Earth. Telling them their country is finished does not empower the British people – it drags them down.” She acknowledged that Britain’s problems are real but argued that the system, not the country, has failed.
Jenrick, who was sacked as shadow justice secretary hours before his defection, described Britain as “broken” in a speech announcing his move to Nigel Farage’s party. He criticised former colleagues including Sir Mel Stride and Dame Priti Patel, and denied that personal ambition played a role in his decision.
Speaking in Aberdeen on Friday, Badenoch ruled out any electoral pact with Reform, calling Jenrick a liar. “How do you do a deal with liars?” she asked. Nick Timothy, who replaced Jenrick as shadow justice secretary, said Conservative MPs reacted with “resolve” to the defection.
A leaked audio recording from last year revealed Jenrick heavily criticising Farage, who had previously called him “a fraud” and “a hypocrite”. Farage sought to downplay those comments at a press conference on Thursday.
