The decision by former Conservative MP Robert Jenrick to defect to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party has sparked a complex reaction within the party’s ranks. While some members have welcomed Jenrick’s arrival as a “massive moment” for the movement, others have expressed concerns about the influx of former Tories, fearing it could alienate voters.
The announcement of Jenrick’s defection, made by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who stripped him of the party whip for “plotting”, has been met with a range of responses from Reform UK members. Some have voiced their displeasure, with one member commenting, “Enough already! Reform UK, please take note, you are going to lose members and voters if you don’t cap this craziness.”
However, the majority of contributors to Reform UK’s social media forums and groups have appeared more enthusiastic about Jenrick’s arrival, with one member describing him as a “seasoned veteran of parliament” and another stating that he is a “potential great future leader” for the party.
The reaction from Reform UK’s elected representatives at the local level has been more cautious, with several councillors on Nottinghamshire County Council, where Jenrick is an MP, reluctant to comment publicly. Rory Green, a Reform member on the council, noted that Jenrick’s government experience could be “positive,” while Dawn Justice, another councillor, said he was “well liked” but needed to be studied further.
The most vocal support for Jenrick’s defection has come from senior members of Reform UK, such as Maxwell Harrison, who used a Facebook group to deliver a “Farage-esque” speech celebrating the “massive moment” for the party’s movement.
However, tensions within the party may not be entirely resolved, as Zia Yusuf, Reform UK’s head of policy, had previously expressed concerns about the influx of former Tory MPs, stating that the party’s grassroots members would be prioritised in candidate selection, not “failed former Tory MPs.”
Moreover, the relationship between Jenrick and Yusuf appears to be strained, with Jenrick previously accusing Yusuf of deliberately liking a post attacking him for having a Jewish wife and family. Yusuf had claimed the incident was an “accidental” like by one of his team members.
As Jenrick and Farage attempt to present a united front, dismissing journalists’ questions about their past criticisms of each other, the underlying tensions within Reform UK’s ranks may prove more challenging to resolve.
