{"id":286482,"date":"2026-01-15T22:06:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T22:06:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/286482\/"},"modified":"2026-01-15T22:06:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T22:06:07","slug":"torys-robert-jenrick-defects-to-nigel-farages-reform-uk-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/286482\/","title":{"rendered":"Tory\u2019s Robert Jenrick defects to Nigel Farage\u2019s Reform UK \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Robert Jenrick, the Conservative shadow justice secretary, has defected to Nigel Farage\u2019s Reform UK after being sacked from the Conservative shadow cabinet.<\/p>\n

The former shadow justice secretary had the Conservative whip removed and his party membership suspended on Thursday morning after his party leader, Kemi Badenoch, said she had found \u201cirrefutable evidence\u201d that he was planning to defect from the party.<\/p>\n

Mr Jenrick, who stood for the Tory leadership against Ms Badenoch, said the Conservative party in Westminster \u201cisn\u2019t sorry, it doesn\u2019t get it, it hasn\u2019t changed, it won\u2019t change, it can\u2019t change\u201d before launching into a broadside against his former colleagues, including Mel Stride and Priti Patel.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn opposition, it is easy to paper over these cracks, but the divisions and delusions are still there,\u201d he said at a hastily organised press conference with Mr Farage in Westminster on Thursday. \u201cI can\u2019t in good conscience stick with a party that has failed so badly.\u201d<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Right turn in Manchester: Tories chase Reform UK \u2013 and risk losing their own centreOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

Ms Badenoch\u2019s sacking appeared to have caught both her leadership rival and Mr Farage off guard.<\/p>\n

\n

I have sacked Robert Jenrick from the Shadow Cabinet, removed the whip and suspended his party membership with immediate effect.<\/p>\n

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\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/zoSzFp0cKq<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) January 15, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Reform UK leader called it the \u201clatest Christmas present I\u2019ve ever had\u201d and said it was still \u201c60-40\u201d if Jenrick would defect until Ms Badenoch forced his hand.<\/p>\n

As Mr Farage announced Mr Jenrick\u2019s defection, there was a lengthy delay before the former shadow minister arrived on stage, while the Reform UK leader wondered aloud if Jenrick had changed his mind. <\/p>\n

But he arrived on stage with a denunciation of his former party and its time in government. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the truth? Both Labour and the Conservatives broke Britain. Both parties are committed to a set of ideas that have failed Britain,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Mr Jenrick, who said he would not call a byelection, said he had started discussions with Reform in September, understood to have been facilitated by the former Tory adviser Tim Montgomerie, who joined Mr Farage\u2019s party in December 2024.<\/p>\n

But he said there had not been discussions about a defection, but about the state of the country. \u201cNothing has been offered, I\u2019m proud to join and work with a set of people I have come to know over a very long time \u2026 who have built this party from nothing and I\u2019m just here to play my part,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Mr Farage said that after the May 7th local elections there would be no more Tory defections, and Reform would reject more seeking to join. He said Mr Jenrick was \u201cin sackcloth and ashes\u201d about decisions made during his time in the Tory government.<\/p>\n

Over the course of the next few weeks, Reform UK would begin to allocate jobs and responsibilities to key people, Mr Farage said. <\/p>\n

Mr Jenrick is understood to have discussed Reform\u2019s economic policies with Farage, but any appointment as the party\u2019s economic spokesperson would put him on a collision course with the MP Richard Tice, who has long suggested he would be the party\u2019s future chancellor.<\/p>\n

Mr Farage said that he knew the party had to have some experienced people if they were to enter government. \u201cWe need the experience, I think that\u2019s absolutely vital.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Jenrick denied he was interested in becoming the leader of Reform UK. \u201cNo one joins Reform unless they believe Nigel Farage is the best person to lead this country \u2026 that\u2019s why I\u2019ve put aside my personal ambition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Westminster sources said Ms Badenoch had been monitoring Mr Jenrick\u2019s activities for some time because of suspicions he was working to undermine the party and they believed his defection to Reform was imminent.<\/p>\n

A resignation speech was discovered and sent to one of Ms Badenoch\u2019s team, parts of which were released by the Conservative party on Thursday. \u2013 The Guardian<\/p>\n