Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has issued a rallying cry to her MPs, insisting the party remains firmly on the right of British politics and must not shift towards the centre ground following a spate of high-profile defections.
A Firm Stance Against Centrist Shift
In a lengthy letter to Conservative parliamentarians, seen by the Guardian, Badenoch addressed the departure of three figures to Nigel Farage's Reform UK party within a single week. She explicitly rejected any suggestion that these losses signalled a need for the Tories to moderate their policies. "We are THE party of the right and must remain so," Badenoch declared, framing the defections as a matter of personal character rather than ideological disagreement.
The week's political drama began with former cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi's move to Reform. It was followed by the sacking and subsequent defection of Robert Jenrick, who had been serving as shadow justice secretary. Badenoch dismissed Jenrick after discovering he had been holding secret talks with Nigel Farage while still representing the party. A third sitting MP, Andrew Rosindell, then quit on Sunday, citing concerns over the government's handling of Chagos Islands sovereignty.
Warning Over Internal 'Undermining'
Beyond addressing the external challenge from Reform, Badenoch's letter contained a stark warning about discipline within Conservative ranks. She cautioned MPs to avoid "psychodrama" and damaging splits, and pointedly accused a small number of party staffers of briefing against the leadership while posing as anonymous Conservative sources.
"I ask everyone to satisfy themselves that their staff are acting in line with our strategy and values," she wrote. "Undermining the party from within, whether by MPs or by staff, is unacceptable." Badenoch emphasised that while differences of opinion were healthy, actively trying to damage the party would not be tolerated.
She was particularly scathing about Jenrick's conduct, noting he had resolved to leave long before his departure but continued to attend shadow cabinet meetings. "Trust and teamwork are not optional in a serious political party that is looking to get into government," Badenoch stated.
Dismissing Reform's Coherence and Looking Ahead
Badenoch sought to downplay the significance of the defections, labelling them a "minor setback, not a defining moment." She also launched a pointed critique of Reform UK's political platform, predicting that absorbing more defectors would create future problems for Farage.
"Reform now has more internal contradiction and ideological incoherence. They are not a centre-right party," she argued. "They are a populist party with one or two rightwing ideas overshadowed by a desire for big state solutions we simply cannot afford."
Despite the Conservative Party's persistently poor polling figures, which nationally struggle to reach 20%, Badenoch's decisive action in sacking Jenrick and her recent performances have been noted positively by some colleagues. Her letter concluded with a firm directive to focus on the future, stating that the time for dealing with the aftermath of the defections was over and the party must now move forward united under its right-wing banner.
