She says:
“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.”
Cry havoc…
UPDATE: Still unfolding:
The Tories claim Farage and Jenrick had dinner in December and there were active defection plans. Kemi decided to “lance the boil”…
Farage has issued his reaction at his press conference:
“I’m very surprised that this news has broken, I never reveal private conversations with anybody… I’m going to say that I’ve had conversations with a number of very senior Conservatives over the course of the last week, the last month… Of course I’ve talked with Robert Jenrick… had we signed and sealed a deal? No.”
A defection threat for some time…
UPDATE II: Farage denies Reform’s afternoon press conference was set up to announce Jenrick’s defection:
“It sounds to me like she’s panicked… I can confirm hand on heart I was not going to be unveiling Robert Jenrick at 4:30 this afternoon… I’ll give him a ring this afternoon. Might even buy him a pint.”
The Tories say a piece of physical evidence from his aides – perhaps a defection speech – was reported to them which left “no doubt” that Jenrick was set up to defect. They refuse to reveal this…
UPDATE III: A Tory source says Badenoch “didn’t want to lose Rob.” When Jenrick was called with the allegations this morning he “said he knew nothing about it before slamming the phone down.”
UPDATE IV: Tories say they found a copy of Jenrick’s resignation letter. Richard Tice says he wasn’t aware of any defection: “I’m shocked and unclear whether she’s had a nightmare or a dream.” Yusuf labels the debacle the “last days of Rome,” adding: “Kemi begins the brutal purge of those most likely to challenge her in May post the electoral wipeout.”
UPDATE V: Reform’s afternoon press conference in Westminster was scheduled to be on the local election cancellations.
UPDATE VI: Nick Timothy is set to replace Jenrick as Shadow Justice Secretary.
UPDATE VII: The Chairman of Newark Conservatives, Cllr Keith Girling said: “Kemi Badenoch was absolutely right to take this decisive action when faced with irrefutable evidence that Robert Jenrick was plotting to defect in the most damaging way possible. Jenrick has let down his party, let down the activists who campaigned for him as a Conservative MP, and let down the voters of Newark who re-elected him in 2024.”
UPDATE VIII: Badenoch emails all Tory members, saying: “Sadly, I was presented with clear, irrefutable evidence that he was preparing to defect. And that he was planning to do so in the most damaging way possible to the Conservative Party and his Shadow Cabinet colleagues.”
UPDATE IX: Tory Party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake: “The document we received came from Rob Jenrick’s inner circle, and with the nature of the document it may be we’ll release more details about it in time. But the nature of the document – the contents of it – are damning, it is compelling… it was clearly a document that was planned to do something that would undermine the Conservative Party. It is disloyal and treacherous.”
Read Badenoch’s email to Tory members below:
“This morning, I have removed the Conservative whip from Robert Jenrick after dismissing him from the Shadow Cabinet.
Sadly, I was presented with clear, irrefutable evidence that he was preparing to defect.
And that he was planning to do so in the most damaging way possible to the Conservative Party and his Shadow Cabinet colleagues.
As Leader, it’s my responsibility to protect the Conservative Party. Faced with this information I took the only decision that any responsible leader could.
The British public are tired of political psychodrama. So am I.
We saw too much of it in the last government and we are seeing too much of it in this government. I will not repeat those mistakes.
When I was elected leader I committed to doing politics differently. Disloyalty and dishonesty undermine trust in politics.
They are also disrespectful to our party members, our councillors, MPs and most of all voters. You all deserve better.
Conservatives suffered a heavy defeat in 2024. That was painful, but we are rebuilding. With strong principles, clear plans and with a serious team united around a shared purpose.
When individuals choose to walk away from that effort for personal ambition, that tells you nothing about the Conservative Party and everything you need to know about them.
There will be more to say, and there will be a lot of commentary about this decision.
But I want you all to be in no doubt. At a time of global uncertainty, I am focused on holding the government to account. I am focused on ensuring they are acting in the national interest.
And that Conservatives deliver a proper plan for a Stronger Economy, Stronger Borders and a Stronger Britain.”
Following Andrew Rosindell’s defection, Nigel Farage posted on X:
“Andrew Rosindell will not be the last MP to put country before party before the deadline on May 7th.”