Overview
- Kemi Badenoch removed Robert Jenrick from the shadow cabinet, withdrew the whip and suspended his party membership citing “clear, irrefutable evidence” of a planned defection.
- Hours later, Jenrick appeared alongside Nigel Farage at a Westminster press conference and formally joined Reform UK.
- Conservative sources said Jenrick’s team left a near‑final resignation speech and related materials lying around, and CCHQ released extracts ahead of the Reform event.
- Jenrick attacked both major parties in his remarks, highlighting rising migration, court backlogs, overcrowded prisons and a smaller army as reasons for his switch.
- Farage initially said he was surprised by the sacking before welcoming Jenrick, as the Tories named Nick Timothy as the new shadow justice secretary and commentators noted a growing wave of defections shaping the right before spring elections.