Robert Jenrick, the former shadow justice secretary, has defected to Reform UK, joining Nigel Farage on stage in Westminster on Thursday after being sacked by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch. Jenrick described the Conservatives as a 'rotten' and 'failed' party, deepening the schism on the British right.
Jenrick had the Conservative whip removed and his party membership suspended earlier in the day after Badenoch said she found 'irrefutable evidence' of his planned defection. He was replaced as shadow justice secretary by West Suffolk MP Nick Timothy.
Speaking at a hastily organised press conference, Jenrick said: 'Both Labour and the Conservatives broke Britain. Both parties are committed to a set of ideas that have failed Britain.' He singled out shadow chancellor Mel Stride and shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel for criticism, accusing them of overseeing failures in welfare and migration policy.
Jenrick admitted he had resolved to leave the Conservatives by the morning of his sacking, though he said discussions with Reform began in September, facilitated by former Tory adviser Tim Montgomerie. He confirmed he would not call a byelection in his Newark constituency.
Farage called the sacking the 'latest Christmas present I’ve ever had' and said that after the 7 May local elections, Reform would reject further Tory defectors. Jenrick is expected to take on a role within the party, potentially as economic spokesperson, though this could cause tensions with deputy leader Richard Tice and policy head Zia Yusuf.
