In a stern letter to Conservative MPs, party leader Kemi Badenoch has cautioned against efforts to “undermine the party from within,” following a series of high-profile defections to the Reform UK party. Badenoch’s message comes in the wake of three MPs, including former cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi and ex-shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick, leaving the Tories to join the Reform UK ranks.
Badenoch insists that these defections do not signal a shift towards the political centre for the Conservatives, stressing that the party remains firmly on the right. “The Conservatives are THE party of the right and must remain so,” she wrote, dismissing claims that the party is moving in a more centrist direction.
The party leader was particularly critical of Jenrick, who she accused of secretly plotting his departure while continuing to participate in Conservative activities. “Robert had resolved to leave some time ago, though he continued to attend meetings, sit around the table, and present himself as part of a collective effort,” Badenoch said, describing his actions as a breach of “trust and teamwork.”
Badenoch also addressed the departure of Andrew Rosindell, another sitting MP who cited concerns over the Chagos Islands deal as his reason for joining Reform UK. The party leader dismissed Rosindell’s stated rationale, saying “his difficulties” were the true motivation behind his decision.
While the Conservatives continue to struggle in the polls, with national ratings barely reaching 20%, Badenoch is seen within the party as having rallied in recent months. Colleagues have praised her decisive action in sacking Jenrick and stripping him of the party whip.
In her letter, Badenoch warned that “undermining the party from within, whether by MPs or by staff, is unacceptable.” She made it clear that “those who cannot be part of a Conservative party that is changing in this way are free to make other choices,” and that “those who want to undermine or destroy the party will be dealt with firmly and fairly.”
The party leader’s stern message comes as the Conservatives seek to regroup and present a united front, amid concerns that the defections could signal deeper divisions within the party.
