The Conservative Party has been rocked by the dramatic defection of former shadow cabinet minister Robert Jenrick to Reform UK, following his sacking by leader Kemi Badenoch over what she called "irrefutable evidence" of his secret plans.
The Sacking and the 'Proof'
On the morning of Thursday, 15 January 2026, Kemi Badenoch moved decisively to oust Robert Jenrick from the Conservative Party. She stated she had obtained proof that he was "plotting in secret to defect in a way designed to be as damaging as possible" to his colleagues and the shadow cabinet.
Hours later, the Conservatives made public the documents that led to this drastic action. A party spokesman asserted they had "no doubt whatsoever about Jenrick’s involvement in the drafting" of a statement and his intention to "stab his Conservative colleagues in the back".
The evidence consisted of extracts from a letter, reportedly left by a member of Mr Jenrick's team and passed to Mrs Badenoch. It contained a scathing indictment of the major parties and a full-throated endorsement of Reform.
Farage's Announcement and Jenrick's New Allegiance
In a chaotic press conference that same day, Nigel Farage announced that Robert Jenrick had joined Reform UK. Farage revealed that conversations between the two had been ongoing "for weeks", confirming the timeline alleged by the Tories.
The published letter extract outlined Jenrick's reasons for switching sides. It declared that both the Conservatives and Labour had "forfeited the right to govern the United Kingdom" and that the mantle now passed to Reform.
It praised Nigel Farage as "obviously the right person" to lead a movement for change and stated the author was "convinced Nigel will deliver the real change needed". The text also commended Reform's policy work and spoke of building a team to execute a comprehensive plan for the country.
Political Fallout and the Letter's Content
The core of the revealed letter was a personal declaration from Jenrick. It read: "For all these reasons, today, I am proud to become Reform's 281,000th member. To back Nigel. And join this movement."
It included a direct appeal to voters, urging those who felt their party had "lost its way" not to stay, and to instead "come join Reform". The message concluded with a stark assessment: "I agree Britain is broken. In major decline. On the brink. In need of real change. And know neither Conservatives nor Labour will deliver it."
This very public and acrimonious split, fueled by the release of internal evidence, marks a significant moment of instability for the Conservative Party under Badenoch's leadership and a major coup for Nigel Farage's Reform UK.
