Robert Jenrick defects to Reform UK, says his move is 'uniting the right' as Badenoch disputes claims
Robert Jenrick left the Conservatives to join Reform UK, calling the move 'uniting the right' and criticizing Tory leadership; Badenoch rejects his claims as dishonest.
Overview
Former shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick defected from the Conservative Party to Nigel Farage's Reform UK on Thursday after being sacked for plotting to defect.
Jenrick told the BBC his move aimed at 'uniting the right' and described Reform as the country's 'last shot' to fix a 'broken' Britain.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called Jenrick dishonest, said his departure strengthened party unity, and insisted Conservatives remain focused on public issues, not 'psychodrama'.
Some senior Conservatives proposed talks with Reform to avoid splitting the right, but both Farage and Badenoch have ruled out formal deals despite concern about vote fragmentation.
Labour and Lib Dems criticised Jenrick, questioning his record; Reform hailed the defection while Conservatives brace for possible further departures and public scrutiny.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as Conservative disarray and a rightward realignment, emphasizing instability and political consequences. Editorial choices—AP's phrases like "plunged into fresh turmoil" and BBC's prominence for Jenrick's "uniting the right" claim—prioritize party conflict, leadership rivalry and electoral risk over policy debate.
Sources (8)
FAQ
Kemi Badenoch sacked Jenrick from the shadow cabinet, removed the whip, and suspended his membership due to irrefutable evidence of him plotting to defect in a damaging way to the party.
Jenrick said his move aims to unite the right, criticized Conservatives for lacking stomach for radical change, and called Reform the last shot to fix broken Britain due to issues like migration, courts backlog, prisons, and army size.
Badenoch called Jenrick dishonest and a liar, stated his departure strengthens Conservative unity, and emphasized focus on public issues rather than psychodrama.
It brings credibility to Reform but introduces internal dynamics, may lead to more defections by May 7, reduces chances of a Conservative-Reform pact, and could fragment right-wing votes in future elections.
Jenrick's defection has all-but ended chances of a formal deal to unite the British right, despite some Conservatives proposing talks, as both Farage and Badenoch have ruled them out.
History
5 sources