In a stunning development, former Conservative shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick has announced his defection to the Reform UK party, delivering a scathing rebuke of his former party in the process. The high-profile defection, which caught many political journalists off guard, has exposed deep divisions within the Tory ranks and raised questions about the party’s ability to counter the growing threat posed by Nigel Farage’s insurgent movement.
The news broke abruptly on Thursday, with Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party’s chief whip, swiftly announcing Jenrick’s dismissal from the shadow cabinet, suspension of the party whip, and suspension from the party. According to party sources, Badenoch’s office had received Jenrick’s draft resignation speech, which accused the Conservatives of having “lost their way” and singled out senior shadow cabinet colleagues for criticism.
In a chaotic turn of events, Jenrick then appeared alongside Farage at a Reform UK press conference, where he unloaded a scathing attack on his former party. “The Conservatives in Westminster aren’t sorry, they don’t get it, they haven’t changed, they won’t change, they can’t change,” he said, adding that both Labour and the Conservatives had “broken Britain.”
Jenrick, who had previously run for the Conservative leadership in 2024, coming second to Badenoch, insisted that his defection was not about personal advancement, but rather a matter of conscience. “No one joins Reform unless they believe Nigel Farage is the best person to lead this country,” he said, denying any leadership ambitions within his new party.
The move has left Badenoch and the Conservative Party scrambling to contain the fallout, with the potential for more defections looming. Kiran Stacey, the Guardian’s policy editor, suggests that Badenoch initially appeared decisive in her handling of the situation, but the long-term consequences may not be so favourable.
“She looked pretty decisive,” Stacey told the First Edition newsletter. “She looked like she was taking control of her party. She looked like she was kind of daring anybody else who is going to challenge her to come out with it right now.”
However, Badenoch’s camp must now brace for the possibility of further defections, with several high-profile Tories, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, Brandon Lewis, and Suella Braverman, identified as potential targets for Reform UK.
Farage, for his part, sees the influx of former Conservatives as a strategic move to bolster Reform’s credibility and appeal to a wider range of voters. “I don’t think Farage needs to prove to Reform voters that they are the change party, or that he’s different,” Stacey said. “I think he’s already done that.”
The broader question, however, is whether the Conservatives can stem the tide of defections and regain the trust of the electorate, or whether the party’s divisions and perceived failures will continue to drive voters into the arms of Reform UK.
