In a dramatic political upheaval, former Conservative immigration minister Robert Jenrick has defected to Nigel Farage's Reform UK, declaring that both the Tories and Labour have "forfeited the right to govern the United Kingdom."
A Chaotic Unveiling and Swift Expulsion
The defection was announced in a haphazard Westminster press conference on Thursday afternoon, where Mr Farage introduced Mr Jenrick as his party's newest member. Simultaneously, the Conservative Party released extracts from notes they claimed were passed to party leader Kemi Badenoch, detailing Mr Jenrick's planned move.
Acting on this evidence, Mrs Badenoch swiftly sacked Mr Jenrick from the shadow cabinet, removed the whip, and suspended his party membership. She stated she was presented with "clear, irrefutable evidence" that he was "plotting in secret to defect in a way designed to be as damaging as possible" to his colleagues.
Jenrick's Damning Verdict and Call to Arms
In the leaked notes, the MP for Newark launched a scathing attack on his former party and the official opposition. He praised Nigel Farage, stating that if one puts "party allegiance - personal ambition - to one side, he is obviously the right person" to lead the change Britain needs.
Mr Jenrick wrote that he was "proud to become Reform's 281,000th member" and issued a direct plea to other Conservatives, urging: "If like me, you've backed another party but know it's lost its way, don't stay. Don't stay in a party that hasn't been loyal to you. When your country needs you."
Farage's 'Christmas Present' from Badenoch
At the press conference, Nigel Farage thanked Kemi Badenoch for the unexpected political gift. "I just want to say thank you to Kemi Badenoch, this is the latest Christmas present I've ever had," the Reform UK leader said.
He added that the Conservatives had "handed me on a plate the man that is by far the most popular figure," referencing a 60% approval rating for Jenrick on the ConservativeHome website. Farage promised to "buy Kemi lunch next week and say thank you" for helping to realign the centre-right of British politics.
After an awkward delay, Mr Jenrick appeared and stated, "It's time for the truth. Britain has been in decline. Britain is in decline." He positioned his move as a necessary step to deliver the "real change" he claims neither the Conservatives nor Labour will provide.
The Conservative Party response included highlighting grammatical errors in Mr Jenrick's notes, in a pointed slap down to the former justice secretary. This dramatic defection marks a significant moment in the ongoing realignment of the UK's political right, injecting further uncertainty into an already volatile political landscape.
