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Robert Jenrick has rejected suggestions that his move to Reform UK was driven by personal ambition, telling the BBC that his aim was to bring together the right wing of British politics. He officially joined Nigel Farage’s party on Thursday, shortly after being dismissed from the Conservative shadow cabinet for planning to defect. In his first interview since switching allegiances, Jenrick described Reform as the country’s “last shot” at repairing a “broken” Britain, and criticized his former shadow cabinet colleagues by calling them “arsonists.”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch responded to Jenrick’s defection by asserting that her party had become stronger and more unified without him, labeling Jenrick as not being “a team player.” Within Conservative ranks, some senior figures have suggested exploring a coalition or agreement with Reform UK to avoid splitting the right-wing vote. Nevertheless, both Farage and Badenoch have dismissed the idea following Jenrick’s change of sides.
When challenged on whether supporting Reform might inadvertently aid Labour by dividing right-wing support, Jenrick insisted: “This is uniting the right.” He emphasized the need to replace the current Labour government with a “strong reforming government,” saying, “there’s frankly only one way to do that—that is to vote for Nigel [Farage], to rally behind him and Reform.” Jenrick also called for a leadership that is “new and exciting” and had not been part of what he termed the “failed consensus.”
Jenrick stated that joining Reform required him to put “personal ambition to one side,” despite being considered a front-runner to lead the Conservative Party. He said, “I chose to say no to all of that to join and be one of a team of people working under a very strong leader in Nigel Farage.” Critics argue, though, that Badenoch’s rising popularity diminished Jenrick’s leadership prospects, motivating his defection. He denied receiving any formal job offer from Farage and stressed his intention is to “help him succeed.” Although senior Conservatives suspect other MPs might follow Jenrick’s path, they do not expect a large-scale exodus soon.
On the subject of leaked information regarding his planned defection speech, Jenrick revealed that a “junior person” on his team was responsible for the leak, but insisted his decision had already been firmly made before that occurrence. His choice was finalized over Christmas, after ongoing discussions with Farage, though he was dismissed by Badenoch before making the announcement. A shadow cabinet meeting held about a week earlier contributed to his resolve, particularly a debate on whether Britain was “broken.” Some attendees maintained the view that Britain was broken but felt unable to admit it because it was the Conservative Party that had caused the damage. Jenrick remarked, “The arsonists were still in control of the party,” condemning those who made mistakes in government yet remained in shadow cabinet roles. He concluded that the party was incapable both of recognizing its faults and of correcting them.
Defending his tenure as housing and immigration minister, Jenrick said he had consistently tried to “challenge the system.” He described the Home Office as a “total bin fire” on arrival but said he “worked like crazy to try and fix that.” Referencing his resignation from Rishi Sunak’s government, he emphasized it was because the administration did not go far enough to address illegal immigration. Responding to Jenrick’s departure, Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley branded him “one of the arsonists who inflicted chaos and decline on Britain while the Tories were in government.” Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey criticized the narrative from Jenrick and Farage that Britain is broken, stating: “Robert Jenrick was a Conservative health minister who helped wreck the NHS, while Nigel Farage championed Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal which damaged the economy and increased the cost of living.” Meanwhile, Badenoch insisted that the Conservative Party remained the only one focused on public concerns, adding that those causing trouble within the party “are leaving” and described this as her “spring cleaning.”
Jenrick’s defection marks him as the second sitting Conservative MP to join Reform, following former Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, who also switched earlier this week. Despite shadow cabinet ministers downplaying Jenrick’s public profile, the Newark MP enjoys popularity among Conservative members. His arrival strengthens Reform by providing it with an MP who has government experience, weakening perceptions that the party is dominated solely by Farage. However, this development also exposes Reform to accusations—even from within its own ranks—that it risks simply replacing the Conservatives rather than presenting a genuinely alternative political force
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