In a dramatic political upheaval, former Conservative shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick has defected to Reform UK, just hours after being sacked by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. The move has ignited speculation about a potential power struggle within Nigel Farage's party, though senior Reform figures have moved swiftly to deny any leadership challenge.
Defection and Denials: A New Team Player?
Reform's chief whip, Lee Anderson, publicly insisted that Robert Jenrick has no designs on ousting Nigel Farage from the leadership. Speaking to GB News on Friday 16 January 2026, Anderson stated the new recruit "wants to be part of a team" despite acknowledging the party's belief in "healthy competition."
"We've got six MPs, all big characters, all big personalities, all want to do the right thing for their party," Anderson said. "Does Rob want to be a leader? No, he doesn't. He wants to be part of the team."
Jenrick's defection was confirmed at a Westminster press conference alongside Farage, where he revealed talks had been ongoing for four months, including a dinner last December. In a piece for The Telegraph, Jenrick declared himself "proud to be Reform's 270,000th member" and urged others to "join the movement."
A Fraught Relationship and a Sudden Sacking
The switch follows Jenrick's abrupt dismissal by Kemi Badenoch on Thursday. The Conservative leader cited "irrefutable evidence" that he was "plotting to jump ship in a damaging way," ending months of simmering tension dating back to their rivalry in the 2024 leadership contest.
Adding immediate controversy, leaked audio from March 2025 emerged where Jenrick criticised his new boss, claiming Nigel Farage "couldn't run a 5-a-side team" and dismissing Reform UK as "not a serious party." This followed previous public barbs, with Farage having previously labelled Jenrick a "fraud."
Jenrick's successor, Nick Timothy, used the episode to attack a perceived "lack of seriousness" in politics, contrasting it with Badenoch's "decisive" action.
Broader Political Fallout and Other Headlines
The defection has sent shockwaves through Westminster. Labour leader Keir Starmer seized the moment, branding the Conservatives a "sinking ship." Meanwhile, Reform's Lee Anderson claimed the Tories were "totally out of touch" with their voters, highlighting Jenrick's 2024 win as 'MP of the Year' on the ConservativeHome website.
Away from the defection drama, several other major political stories developed on Friday:
- Approximately one-third of eligible councils in England are expected to delay local elections scheduled for May.
- The Labour government proposed closing a welfare loophole that could see serious criminals losing up to £800 a month in benefits.
- Foreign Secretary David Lammy confirmed that creating sexual deepfake images without consent will become illegal within weeks, partly in response to concerns over Elon Musk's Grok AI.
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting called for "action" on debates about banning under-16s from social media, citing harms to young people's "life chances." Cabinet minister Pat McFadden also said the government was looking at the policy "very closely."
The political landscape continues to shift rapidly, with Jenrick's move to Reform UK marking one of the most significant defections in recent years and raising profound questions about the future of both the Conservative Party and Nigel Farage's insurgent movement.
