Kemi Badenoch sacks Robert Jenrick over "irrefutable evidence" of plans to defect

Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, says she has sacked Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick due to "irrefutable evidence that he was plotting in secret to defect" from the party.

Kemi Badenoch said she had been presented with “clear, irrefutable evidence” that the Newark MP was “plotting in secret to defect in a way designed to be as damaging as possible” to the Conservative Party.

Mr Jenrick has attracted speculation about leadership ambitions since being beaten in his bid for the party’s reins in 2024, and has repeatedly stepped out beyond the shadow cabinet line.

The Tory leader said in a post on X: “I have sacked Robert Jenrick from the shadow cabinet, removed the whip and suspended his party membership with immediate effect.

“I was presented with clear, irrefutable evidence that he was plotting in secret to defect in a way designed to be as damaging as possible to his shadow cabinet colleagues and the wider Conservative Party.

“The British public are tired of political psychodrama and so am I. They saw too much of it in the last government, they’re seeing too much of it in THIS government. I will not repeat those mistakes.”

A Conservative Party source told the Press Association there was “totally irrefutable” evidence that Robert Jenrick was planning to defect to Reform UK.

The Tory source said: “We have had lots of reports coming in that he was meeting with Reform. He went for dinner with Nigel Farage last month, he had been speaking to people within Westminster about the possibility of a defection.

“His team has spoken to various people, including journalists, about defection.

“Kemi doesn’t take decisions lightly, she thinks about these things, she analyses things properly. But the evidence was just totally irrefutable that this was going to be done to inflict maximum pain on the party.”

The source would not say when they expected the defection would be announced, but suggested it was “going to be very soon”.

Tory chief whip Rebecca Harris informed Mr Jenrick he had been sacked and had the whip and his Conservative Party membership suspended, the source said.

How are the political parties reacting to the news of Robert Jenrick's sacking?

Labour has responded to the sacking in a post on X which says: "Tory psychodrama: chapter 876".

Reacting to Kemi Badenoch’s announcement Reform leader Nigel Farage said: “I’m very surprised that this news is broken.”

Asked if he had been speaking to Mr Jenrick, the Reform leader said: “I never reveal private conversations of anybody, which is why when people like Malcolm (Offord) came to me to talk, and he was a frontbencher, nothing ever leaked.

“I’m going to say that I’ve had conversations with a number of very senior Conservatives over the course of the last week, over the course of the last month.”

Pressed again about whether he had spoken to the now ex-shadow justice secretary, Mr Farage said: “Of course I’ve talked to Robert Jenrick. Was I on the verge of signing a document with him? No. But have we had conversations? Yes.”

Mr Farage was asked again if Mr Jenrick had been considering leaving the Tories for Reform, and said: “I think virtually every Conservative is considering leaving the Conservatives, yes.”

Asked if this included Mr Jenrick, he replied: “I think that’s been in his mind, yes. I’ve little doubt it’s been in his mind.”

Nigel Farage has said he did not plan to unveil Robert Jenrick as the latest defection to Reform UK at a planned press conference in London on Thursday afternoon.

Mr Farage told reporters in Edinburgh that he suspected Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch had “panicked” by deciding to sack Mr Jenrick from her front bench and suspend his Tory membership.

Asked whether he had planned to announce Mr Jenrick’s defection at the planned press conference, the Reform UK leader said: “I suspect she’s added up two and two and made five.

“I can confirm, hand on heart, honestly, look you in the eye, I was not going to be unveiling Robert Jenrick at 4.30pm this afternoon.

“As I said to your BBC colleague a moment ago, is he one of many that I’ve talked to about what the future the future might look like? Absolutely. But have I signed the deal with him? No.”

The Liberal Democrats say the move “makes The Traitors’ roundtable look united”.

A party source said: “The Conservative shadow cabinet makes The Traitors’ roundtable look united.

“The country deserves better than a clapped-out Labour government and the same old Conservative chaos.”

Leader Ed Davey has posted on X saying: "One more rat is leaving the sinking ship - the Conservatives are out of ideas and Reform only have bad ones."

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