Kemi Badenoch has sacked Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, from the Conservative Party's shadow cabinet, removed his party whip, and suspended his membership. This action was taken after Badenoch stated she had received "clear, irrefutable evidence" that Jenrick was secretly planning to defect from the party in a manner intended to cause maximum damage. The British public, she added, is weary of political drama, and she does not wish to repeat past mistakes.
The decision has drawn mixed reactions. Labour leader Keir Starmer criticized Badenoch for the delay, suggesting Jenrick should have been sacked months ago for his "toxic" comments and that the current action demonstrates her "weakness." He also highlighted a broader trend of Conservative politicians defecting to Reform UK, viewing the latter as a haven for "failed politicians" from a "sinking ship." Conversely, Labour MP Karl Turner praised Badenoch's "strong leadership" for removing a "threat of defection," though he noted Jenrick's general politics were "awful."
Tory chair Kevin Hollinrake described Jenrick's actions as "treacherous," attributing his motivation to "personal ambition" and suggesting he did not "take losing the leadership contest well." While Hollinrake claimed to have seen the evidence of Jenrick's planned defection, which he said came from Jenrick's "inner circle," he could not disclose specifics. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, confirmed he had spoken with Jenrick about defecting but denied plans to announce Jenrick's move at an upcoming press conference, suggesting Badenoch had "panicked." Farage also claimed he would announce a Labour defection the following week. Some reports indicate that Badenoch's team obtained a near-final draft of Jenrick's resignation speech, catching him and Reform UK by surprise.