Robert Jenrick has been dramatically sacked as shadow justice secretary and suspended from the Conservative Party following allegations he was secretly planning to defect to Reform UK.
A Swift Dismissal and a Political Bombshell
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch stated there was "irrefutable evidence that he was plotting in secret to defect in a way designed to be as damaging as possible" to his colleagues. The chief whip informed Jenrick of his dismissal over the phone on Thursday 15 January 2026.
Meanwhile, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage confirmed he had "of course" held conversations with the former senior frontbencher but expressed surprise at the announcement. Farage insisted no formal agreement had been reached with Jenrick.
A History of Public Sparring and Private Dinners
Speculation about Jenrick's leadership ambitions and potential defection has swirled since he lost his bid to lead the Conservative Party in 2024. He repeatedly broke shadow cabinet ranks and grew increasingly vocal on issues like immigration.
Despite rumours he was courting Reform—including a reported dinner with Farage last month—the relationship between the two politicians has been notoriously rocky. Their feud played out publicly on social media throughout 2025.
Last August, Farage branded Jenrick a "fraud," sharing a picture of the MP from his time as immigration minister in November 2022, boasting about procuring more hotel rooms for migrants. Jenrick, for his part, had previously said he wanted to "send Nigel Farage back to retirement."
From Insults to a Potential Pint: A Relationship Reset?
The animosity was not confined to personal barbs. In May 2025, Jenrick criticised Reform for backing the lifting of the two-child benefit cap, sarcastically asking on X if Farage had concocted the policy "after one too many pints" or if "a joint found its way into his usual pack of Marlboro Golds."
He also accused Reform's head of policy, Zia Yusuf, of pushing "lies" about his stance on migrant hotels. During the 2024 Tory leadership contest, Farage delivered a scathing assessment, calling Jenrick "a man that believed in nothing" and doubting his hardline convictions were genuine.
Yet, with Jenrick's future now outside the Conservative Party, a remarkable thaw appears possible. Striking a conciliatory tone on Thursday afternoon, Nigel Farage told reporters, "I'll give him a ring this afternoon. I might even buy him a pint."
