In a seismic shift for British politics, former Conservative frontbencher Robert Jenrick has crossed the floor to join Reform UK, just hours after being dramatically sacked and expelled from the Tory party by leader Kemi Badenoch.
A Dramatic Westminster Defection
The former shadow justice secretary used a press conference in Westminster on Thursday 15 January 2026 to launch an extraordinary attack on his former colleagues. He declared the Conservatives had "betrayed its voters and members" and was either in denial or being dishonest about its record following the party's catastrophic 2024 election defeat.
"I can't kid myself anymore," Jenrick stated, adding that he could not in good conscience remain with a party that had failed so badly, showed no remorse, and had not changed. He argued that under Kemi Badenoch's leadership, the Tories were incapable of delivering what the country needed, and that Britain now needs Nigel Farage.
Badenoch's 'Irrefutable Evidence' and Farage's Boast
The day's drama began when Ms Badenoch took to social media to announce she had sacked Jenrick from the shadow cabinet, removed the whip, and suspended his party membership. She claimed to possess "clear, irrefutable evidence" that he was secretly plotting a defection designed to inflict maximum damage on the Conservative Party.
Reform leader Nigel Farage, who welcomed Jenrick at the London press conference, thanked the Tory leader for her actions. He claimed Badenoch had "handed me on a plate" one of the most popular figures on the Conservative grassroots website, ConservativeHome, where Jenrick reportedly holds a 60% approval rating. Farage also boasted that Reform would secure a defection from the Labour Party as early as next week.
Farage suggested Badenoch had "jumped the gun" by firing Jenrick, claiming the defection was not imminent and that there was only a 60% chance it would have happened at all without her intervention.
Leadership Rivalry and a Party in Turmoil
The move brings a decisive end to the long-simmering leadership rivalry between Badenoch and Jenrick. Sources indicate the pair had a confrontational conversation before Christmas, where Jenrick denied plans to defect. However, his allies believe the real reason for his sacking was an emerging plot to challenge Badenoch's leadership after the upcoming May elections, which are widely predicted to be disastrous for the Tories.
In response to the defection, the Conservatives published extracts from a speech they allege Jenrick had prepared. The text accused both the Tories and Labour of having "forfeited the right to govern" and stated that the mantle now passed to Reform. A Conservative Party spokesman was unequivocal, stating they had no doubt about Jenrick's involvement in drafting the words and his "intention to stab his Conservative colleagues in the back."
Jenrick's defection follows that of former Tory minister Nadhim Zahawi and is the latest in a string of high-profile departures that includes Dame Andrea Jenkyns, Jonathan Gullis, and Nadine Dorries. While some within the party, like former Cabinet minister Dominic Grieve, argued that removing Jenrick could be the "first critical step on the path to recovery," others darkly joked that the chances of a future Conservative administration were now growing by the day.
