Kemi Badenoch has sacked Robert Jenrick from the shadow cabinet and suspended his Conservative party membership, citing “irrefutable evidence” that he was plotting to defect to Reform UK. The Conservative leader said the shadow justice secretary had planned to leave in a manner designed to cause maximum damage to his colleagues and the party.
Badenoch did not name Reform UK directly, but sources confirmed it was the intended destination. The move follows long-standing suspicions that Jenrick, who ran against Badenoch for the party leadership, was working to undermine the Tories. Westminster sources said his defection was believed to be imminent, with parts of a resignation speech reportedly left unattended that included harsh criticism of senior shadow cabinet members.
In a statement, Badenoch 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. The British public are tired of political psychodrama and so am I.” She added that disloyalty and dishonesty undermine trust in politics.
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, denied that a defection was imminent, saying he was not planning to unveil Jenrick at a press conference. However, he confirmed having had conversations with Jenrick and suggested he would speak to him again, while warning that Reform did not want to import Tory infighting.
Jenrick, a former immigration minister, has built a significant social media following. His defection would be the highest-profile move to Reform by a sitting MP. One shadow cabinet minister said Jenrick had grown frustrated as Badenoch’s popularity increased after the party conference.
