Private Club Ultimatum Seals Reform UK's Policy Reversal
Over a glass of fine claret at the exclusive 5 Hertford Street private members' club in London's Mayfair, Robert Jenrick was unequivocal. He made it clear to Nigel Farage that Reform UK had to abandon one of its most cherished policies. Jenrick, then a Conservative member plotting his defection to Reform, demanded a firm promise that the party would restore the two-child benefit cap, which Labour is scrapping in April at a cost of £3 billion. He was deeply troubled that Reform initially supported Labour's plans.
The Centrepiece of a Defection Speech
This policy reversal became the focal point of Jenrick's inaugural speech yesterday as Reform UK's Shadow Chancellor. That encounter at the private members' club marked the first in a series of conversations between the two men, culminating in Farage agreeing to restore the cap in a significant policy U-turn. In turn, Jenrick decided to make his high-profile defection last month.
'There is a perception in some quarters that Reform is not serious about reducing the benefits bill,' Jenrick stated shortly after his speech at Plaisterers' Hall in the City of London. 'Nigel and I agreed that while Reform's policy to scrap the cap for British workers was well intended, the country just cannot afford it. We are crystal clear a Reform government will restore the cap as part of our comprehensive plan to cut welfare spending.'
A New Political Persona
Appearing notably younger than his 44 years, Jenrick sported a pair of designer spectacles not seen before. Whether due to deteriorating eyesight or a bid to appear more serious, he did not specify. In politics, appearance is paramount. The man who lost 4st with Ozempic during his 2024 Tory leadership bid might need to revisit the drug, as he admits gaining 6lb from Farage's tradition of long liquid lunches. 'I'm now running for 40 minutes to an hour three or four days a week,' he says.
Predicting Conservative Extinction
Jenrick, a Tory member since age 16 under William Hague's leadership, predicts his former party is nearing extinction after falling to a record low of 121 seats. He claims senior Shadow ministers privately agree, fearing they could drop to 50 or 60 seats next time. 'The only places the Conservatives can survive are pockets of grey affluence. The Tory Party has not learnt its lessons and does not deserve a second chance.'
On ECHR and Defection Rationale
When asked if Kemi Badenoch, who beat him for the Tory leadership, has followed Reform's lead by committing to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), he replies, 'Yes, finally,' noting he was the second Conservative minister to call for ECHR exit after Suella Braverman. Yet, he defected because he lacks faith in the Tories' commitment, citing private Shadow Cabinet opposition.
Criticism and Political Evolution
Critics in the Tory Party mock Jenrick's newfound enthusiasm for Farage-style politics. By his own admission, his political journey has been long. Once an ardent supporter of David Cameron and opposed to Brexit, he now champions digital campaigns against borders and the ECHR. Relations with Badenoch soured after she withdrew the whip, sacked him, and ended his membership upon evidence of his defection plot.
Personal Life and Influences
Robert Edward Jenrick, a Cambridge-educated lawyer and former Christie's international managing director, is married to Michal Berkner, a top corporate lawyer at Baker McKenzie. Their family home is a 17th-century mansion in Herefordshire, where they raise three daughters with Jewish and Christian heritage. One daughter's middle name is Thatcher, though Jenrick cites his father Bill as his true role model. Bill, a self-made businessman, inspired Jenrick's support for small businesses and work ethic.
The Defection Decision
His father's advice on Boxing Day sealed his defection. Asked who he'd prefer as PM—Keir Starmer, Badenoch, or Farage—he chose Farage. When he said he'd vote Reform if not a Tory MP, his father urged, 'Follow your heart.' Jenrick now works from Reform UK's HQ in Millbank Tower, advocating for radical immigration policies and integration efforts, despite his mixed record as immigration minister under Rishi Sunak.
Uniting the Right
Jenrick aims to 'unite the Right' to oust Labour, opposing pacts with the Tories. 'The only way is to rally behind Nigel. Party loyalty has to go. If you want to stop Starmer becoming PM again, or worse, Rayner or Ed Miliband, you must unite behind Reform.' Both he and Farage are confident more Tories will follow suit.
