Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has sacked Robert Jenrick from the shadow cabinet and suspended his party membership, citing “irrefutable evidence” that he was plotting to defect in a manner designed to cause maximum damage. The shadow justice secretary, who was Badenoch’s leadership rival, had long been suspected of preparing to join Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Badenoch did not name the party Jenrick was planning to join, but sources confirmed it was Reform UK. In a statement, she said: “I 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 shadow cabinet colleagues and the wider Conservative party.” She criticised Jenrick for putting personal ambition above loyalty, adding: “The British public are tired of political psychodrama and so am I.”
Westminster sources said Badenoch had been monitoring Jenrick’s activities for some time due to suspicions he was working to undermine the party. Their concerns were heightened by the activities of some of Jenrick’s unofficial aides, known internally as the “grid of shit” plotters for their efforts to depose Rishi Sunak. Parts of a potential resignation speech, which included “vicious” criticism of shadow cabinet colleagues, were reportedly left unattended.
Farage, who is due to give a press conference in Westminster, denied that Jenrick’s defection was imminent. Speaking in Scotland, he said: “Was I on the verge of signing a document with him? No. But have we had conversations? Yes.” He claimed Badenoch “panicked” and suggested he might not accept Jenrick into Reform, citing concerns about bringing “Tory infighting” with him.
Jenrick, a former immigration minister, has built a sizeable social media following. His move would be the most high-profile defection of a sitting MP to Reform, following the earlier move of shadow minister Danny Kruger. One shadow cabinet minister said Jenrick had grown increasingly frustrated as Badenoch’s popularity grew after the Tory conference, adding: “Sad, but we all know why he was going to go – no vacancy at the top of the Tories.”
