Former Conservative minister Robert Jenrick has made explosive claims about his final days in the party, revealing he repeatedly urged Kemi Badenoch to expel Liz Truss.
Defector's Damning Claims
In a significant revelation, Robert Jenrick, who recently crossed the floor to join Nigel Farage's Reform UK, stated that he told Kemi Badenoch to kick Liz Truss out of the Conservative Party. Jenrick, who was sacked from the Tory front bench just last week, alleges that Badenoch's refusal to remove the former Prime Minister was a pivotal factor in his decision to defect.
He pinpointed Truss's 'disastrous mini-Budget' as the central reason for his demand, arguing that the party needed to take decisive action to move on from the economic turmoil it caused. His defection marks a major blow to Prime Minister Badenoch's authority and highlights the deep fractures within the Conservative ranks.
A Party 'In Denial'
Jenrick did not hold back in his criticism of his former political home. He asserted that the Conservative Party had 'betrayed its voters and members' and was fundamentally 'in denial' about its own record in government. This stark assessment from a former senior figure underscores the internal strife plaguing the Tories.
In response to his defection, Badenoch's office alleged that Jenrick had been 'secretly plotting' his move to Reform UK while still serving on the Conservative front bench. This accusation paints his final actions within the party as duplicitous, a charge Jenrick's revelations seem designed to counter by presenting his frustrations as long-standing and openly communicated.
Clashing Visions for Britain
The public spat highlights the competing narratives now defining the right of British politics. While Jenrick has joined a party campaigning on a platform of radical change, Kemi Badenoch has sought to strike a more optimistic tone. The Prime Minister has consistently maintained that Britain remains a successful country, attempting to draw a clear and positive distinction between her governing Conservatives and the insurgent challenge from Reform UK.
This political drama, unfolding on Monday 19 January 2026, signals a potentially volatile period ahead. With a senior figure like Jenrick jumping ship and levelling such serious accusations, the battle for the Conservative heartland—and the votes that come with it—has been thrust into the open.
