Jenrick sacked from Tory shadow cabinet for 'plotting to defect'

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Several Conservative figures have welcomed his departure with a former housing minister telling Sky News he is a "dishonest snake"



Robert Jenrick has been sacked from the Tories' shadow cabinet for "plotting in secret to defect", Kemi Badenoch has said.

The Conservative Party leader did not say which party Mr Jenrick was planning to switch to, but Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he has "of course" had conversations with the senior frontbencher.

Mr Jenrick was Ms Badenoch's shadow justice secretary and has long attracted speculation about leadership ambitions since being beaten in his bid to take over the party's reins in 2024.

Several Conservative figures have welcomed his departure with a former housing minister telling Sky News he is a "dishonest snake".

In a statement on X, Ms Badenoch said: "I have sacked Robert Jenrick from the shadow cabinet, removed the whip and suspended his party membership with immediate effect.

"I was presented with clear, irrefutable evidence that he was plotting in secret to defect in a way designed to be as damaging as possible to his Shadow Cabinet colleagues and the wider Conservative Party.

"The British public are tired of political psychodrama and so am I. They saw too much of it in the last government, they're seeing too much of it in this government.

"I will not repeat those mistakes."

Conservative sources have told Sky News that Ms Badenoch discovered Mr Jenrick's plans after his team left "stuff" lying around.

They accidentally left material that showed he had been speaking to the Reform UK leader, including at a dinner last month, it is understood.

Reacting to Mrs Badenoch's announcement, Mr Farage insisted he was "very surprised" the news had broken and would "never reveal private conversations" as he spoke at a press conference on Thursday.

But asked again whether he had been in talks with the former Tory frontbencher, he added: "Of course, I've talked to Robert Jenrick. Was I on the verge of signing a document with him? No. But have we had conversations? Yes."

Mr Jenrick was previously in the moderate "one nation" wing of the Conservative Party before taking a stronger line on issues like Europe and immigration.

Some veteran Tories have welcomed his departure with Rachel Maclean - a former housing minister and now Conservative peer, branding him a "dishonest snake".

She told Sky News: "Good riddance, not at all surprised given his track record. Kemi displaying strong leadership and members welcome this - we need to get rid of these dishonest snakes."

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Former defence minister Tobias Ellwood also said this would make it easier for the Conservatives to come back from their 2024 election defeat.

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Robert Jenrick joins Reform UK after being sacked from Tory shadow cabinet



Robert Jenrick has joined Reform UK after being sacked as the Conservative shadow justice secretary, the highest-profile defection yet from the Tories to Nigel Farage’s populist party.

The defection came just hours after Tory leader Kemi Badenoch pre-emptively removed Jenrick from her shadow cabinet, saying she had “clear, irrefutable evidence” he was plotting to join Reform.

Jenrick appeared alongside Farage at a press conference on Thursday afternoon.

Jenrick’s move comes as the Tories struggle with Reform’s attempt to replace them as the main party on the right of UK politics. Farage has lured a slew of Tories to his ranks in recent months.

“The Conservative leadership have jumped the gun on this. I just want to say thank you to Kemi Badenoch . . . You’ve handed me on a plate by far the most popular figure,” Farage said.

Earlier on Thursday Farage had confirmed that he had held discussions with Jenrick in recent months.

“Is he one of many I’ve talked to about what the future might look [like]? Absolutely,” Farage said. “Have I signed a deal with him? No.”

Jenrick’s exit from the Conservatives comes days after former Tory chancellor Nadhim Zahawi defected to Reform, which is leading in the polls.

Other Tories who have joined Farage’s party in recent months include former ministers Nadine Dorries and Maria Caulfield, as well as MP Danny Kruger and Dame Andrea Jenkyns, mayor of Greater Lincolnshire.

Jenrick ran for the Tory leadership in November 2024 but lost to Badenoch by 56 per cent to 44 per cent.

Early last year, he was consistently named the most popular shadow cabinet member in polls of grassroots Tories by the Conservative Home website, although he was overtaken in December by Badenoch and shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride.

The 44-year-old was previously a cabinet minister under various Conservative leaders, holding posts including communities secretary.

In opposition, he has built up a public profile with savvy use of social media to highlight his right-wing opinions, such as opposing the Labour government’s rapid drive to develop green energy, pushing for cuts to welfare spending and his desire for a temporary period of “negative immigration”.

Badenoch said on Thursday afternoon she was appointing Nick Timothy, a former adviser to Baroness Theresa May, to replace Jenrick as shadow justice secretary.

https://www.ft.com/content/991213ae-dab4-44ad-86eb-48045f97de96