Overview
- Jenrick appeared with Nigel Farage at a Westminster press conference to confirm his move, accusing both main parties of failing on migration, courts, prisons and defence.
- Kemi Badenoch removed Jenrick from the shadow cabinet, withdrew the whip and suspended his membership after what she called clear, irrefutable evidence of a planned defection.
- The Conservative Party released extracts of a draft speech said to be from Jenrick and sources said a mole in his team supplied the material and media plan.
- Farage acknowledged talks with Jenrick but said Badenoch jumped the gun on timing, then welcomed him as a high-profile recruit to Reform’s frontline team.
- Badenoch named Nick Timothy as shadow justice secretary, as analysts cast the defection—following recent moves such as Nadhim Zahawi’s—as a boost to Reform ahead of May elections; Jenrick told the Daily Mail he will not resign his Commons seat.