Robert Jenrick has defected to Reform UK after being sacked from the Conservative shadow cabinet by leader Kemi Badenoch. The move came four days after a phone conversation between the two, during which Jenrick discussed party strategy. Badenoch had been aware of speculation about his future but lacked hard proof until screenshots of his resignation speech were leaked to her office.
The leaked documents included Jenrick's entire resignation speech and media plan, which criticised senior Tories such as Priti Patel and Mel Stride, and praised Nigel Farage as the 'right person' to lead the country. Badenoch's team acted swiftly, sacking Jenrick and releasing a video message to party members accusing him of betrayal. The timing was designed to coincide with Farage's press conference in Scotland.
Jenrick's defection has been met with widespread condemnation from Conservative MPs, with some calling him a 'coward' and a 'traitor'. One former cabinet minister described him as 'a snake in the grass' during Rishi Sunak's premiership. Badenoch's decisive action has been praised by allies, with one senior Tory saying, 'She's blown him up with his own grenade.'
