Robert Jenrick, the former shadow justice secretary, defected to Reform UK on Thursday, branding the Conservative Party as 'rotten' and 'failed' after being sacked by leader Kemi Badenoch. Jenrick joined Nigel Farage at a hastily arranged press conference in Westminster, delivering a scathing attack on his former colleagues.
Badenoch removed the whip and suspended Jenrick's party membership after claiming to have 'irrefutable evidence' of his planned defection. Jenrick admitted he had resolved to leave the Tories by that morning, though he said the sacking accelerated his move. He confirmed discussions with Reform began in September, facilitated by former Tory adviser Tim Montgomerie.
In his speech, Jenrick accused both Labour and the Conservatives of breaking Britain, saying 'both parties are committed to a set of ideas that have failed Britain'. He singled out shadow chancellor Mel Stride and shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel for criticism, blaming them for rising welfare costs and high legal migration respectively.
Farage described the defection as the 'latest Christmas present' and said after the 7 May local elections, Reform would reject further Tory defectors. Jenrick is expected to take on a role within the party, though his exact responsibilities remain unclear, with potential tensions over economic policy with deputy leader Richard Tice and policy head Zia Yusuf.
