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Robert Jenrick, a former Conservative shadow minister, has officially joined Reform UK shortly after being dismissed by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch. His dismissal came amid accusations that he was secretly planning to defect to Nigel Farage’s party. Farage introduced Jenrick at a press event, expressing gratitude towards Badenoch for removing a former Tory leadership rival and helping to realign the centre-right political landscape in Britain.
Jenrick launched a scathing critique of his former party, accusing the Conservatives of having “broken” the country, describing them as “rotten” and claiming they had “betrayed its voters.” Just before Jenrick’s announcement, Badenoch labeled the day a “good day” for the Conservatives, declaring that Jenrick was now “Nigel Farage’s problem.” This defection marks Jenrick as the second sitting Conservative MP to move to Reform UK, following Danny Kruger’s switch in September 2025. The party, led by Farage, has been maintaining a strong lead in national polls for several months.
The day’s events began with Badenoch releasing a video announcing Jenrick’s dismissal from the shadow cabinet and suspension from the Conservative Party. She stated she had “clear, irrefutable evidence” of Jenrick’s secret plotting to defect, intended to cause maximum harm to his colleagues and the broader party. Conservative insiders also told the BBC that plans for Jenrick’s defection had been uncovered after materials, including a prepared speech for the switch, were found “lying around.” Farage admitted he had to quickly adjust his response once Jenrick’s defection became public, but expressed appreciation for what he described as “the latest Christmas present I’ve ever had” before Jenrick appeared on stage alongside him.
During his speech, Jenrick painted a grim picture of Britain’s current state, asserting, “Britain has been in decline. Britain is in decline.” He blamed both Labour and the Conservatives for the country’s woes, claiming neither party had the competence or courage to address the issues properly. Jenrick singled out specific former Conservative colleagues for criticism, accusing shadow chancellor Mel Stride of overseeing an “explosion of the welfare bill” and blocking necessary reforms, and blaming Dame Priti Patel for allowing a “million migrants to come here,” labeling this as “the greatest failure of any British government in the post-war period.” Despite acknowledging his own involvement in previous Conservative governments, Jenrick expressed feelings of betrayal by Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. When asked by journalists, he confirmed he had been considering his departure for some time and declined to resign to trigger a by-election, affirming he wouldn’t contest his Newark seat as a Reform UK candidate. Jenrick also dismissed any personal leadership ambitions within Reform UK, emphasizing his desire for Nigel Farage to become prime minister
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