Former Conservative Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick has been publicly sacked and defected to Nigel Farage's Reform UK, in a dramatic political move that has left his former Tory colleagues reeling and accusing him of having 'lost his mind'.
A Secret Plan and a Swift Sacking
The explosive sequence of events began when Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch obtained a document outlining Mr Jenrick's clandestine scheme to join the rival party. This evidence formed the basis of her bombshell statement on social media platform X, announcing his immediate dismissal from the Shadow Cabinet and the party. A senior Shadow Cabinet source confirmed to the Daily Mail that the leader's office had the damning document in its possession, describing it as 'clear, irrefutable evidence'.
The source suggested the document was 'very rude about quite a few Shadow Cabinet members', backing up Ms Badenoch's claim that Jenrick planned to defect in a manner designed to 'hurt other people in the party'. How the sensitive paper reached Badenoch's office remains a mystery, with speculation that an adviser may have left it unattended.
'Consumed by Ambition': Tory Fury and Betrayal
Reaction from Mr Jenrick's former colleagues has been one of intense anger and feelings of deep betrayal. One member of the Shadow Cabinet did not mince words, stating: 'I think he's actually lost his mind. It makes no sense. It's like he's gone a bit crazy.' They accused Jenrick of being 'consumed by personal ambition', first during the last leadership contest and later when he perceived Badenoch's position as vulnerable.
'When it became clear that in fact Kemi wasn't going anywhere, Jenrick's ambition was frustrated and now he's done this stupid thing,' the source added, labelling him 'damaged goods'. The defection has also caused uproar in Jenrick's Newark constituency. Keith Girling, a Conservative councillor for Newark West, said he felt 'totally betrayed', criticising Jenrick for a 'complete lack of loyalty' after years of local support for his political ambitions.
Isolationist Views and a Final Shadow Cabinet
Remarkably, the impending storm showed few signs during the regular Shadow Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday. According to the source, Jenrick used the session, which focused on defence and foreign policy, to argue for a more isolationist stance for Britain. 'I've heard him say in the past that we should not be helping Ukraine, that it's far away and nothing to do with us,' the source revealed, noting Jenrick had recently argued against having 'boots on the ground' in Ukraine. These general isolationist points ultimately constituted his final contribution to a Conservative Shadow Cabinet.
The defection was formally sealed at a press conference in Westminster this afternoon, where Robert Jenrick was seen shaking hands with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. The move sends shockwaves through Westminster, raising serious questions about unity within the Conservative Party and the growing appeal of Reform UK to disaffected figures on the right.
