In a statement posted on X, Badenoch said she had acted after being presented with what she described as clear, irrefutable evidence of Jenrick’s intentions.
The United Kingdom’s Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, has sacked former leadership rival Robert Jenrick from her senior policy team and suspended him from the party.
She accused him of secretly plotting to defect from the party in a move she said was designed to inflict maximum damage on the Conservatives as they struggle to stem growing support for the right-wing Reform UK party.
The decision, announced on Thursday, followed claims by Nigel Farage, leader of the populist Reform UK party, that he and Jenrick had held discussions about the senior Conservative joining Reform.
Jenrick, who lost to Badenoch in the 2024 contest to lead the Conservatives after the party’s heavy general election defeat, had been appointed shadow justice secretary as part of efforts to reunite the fractured opposition.
However, he used the role to raise his profile on issues such as immigration and crime, fuelling speculation that he was positioning himself for a future leadership challenge.
In a statement posted on X, Badenoch said she had acted after being presented with what she described as clear, irrefutable evidence of Jenrick’s intentions.
“I have sacked Robert Jenrick from the Shadow Cabinet, removed the whip and suspended his party membership with immediate effect,” she said.
Badenoch, who did not specify which party Jenrick was allegedly planning to join added, “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.”
Badenoch in another statement named Nick Timothy as the new Shadow Justice Secretary as replacement for Jenrick.
She stated, “Delighted to announce that Nick Timothy is the new Shadow Justice Secretary.
“As an MP, Nick has led the way in revealing the failure of West Midlands Police Chief over the Maccabi football ban, and in opposing Labour's sinister Islamophobia definition.
“He is a true Conservative, brings a wealth of experience, and is a formidable campaigner.
“Nick will be a massive asset to the Shadow Cabinet team as we continue to develop our plans for a stronger economy, stronger borders and a stronger country.”
Farage confirmed that conversations had taken place but said no agreement was close, according to Reuters.
Speaking to reporters in Scotland, he said he had “little doubt” that Jenrick was considering a move to Reform UK.
“Was I on the verge of signing a document with him? No. But have we had conversations? Yes,” Farage said, adding that he was surprised the news had become public.
If Jenrick were to defect, he would become one of the most high-profile Conservatives to join Reform UK, which currently holds a strong lead in opinion polls.
While at least a dozen prominent Conservative figures have already switched allegiance, Jenrick would be only the second sitting lawmaker to join Farage’s party.
Jenrick, who served in several ministerial roles in the previous Conservative government, has shifted politically in recent years, moving from a centrist position toward the right, particularly through his strong criticism of immigration policies.
Recent polling places Reform UK ahead of both Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party and the Conservatives, raising the prospect of a Reform victory at the 2029 general election, a result that would mark a major upheaval in a political system long dominated by Labour and the Conservatives.
The Conservatives, Britain’s oldest and historically most successful political party, governed for 32 of the past 46 years.
However, their standing has been badly weakened by a turbulent 14-year period in power marked by the Brexit referendum, repeated leadership changes, economic instability and, ultimately, the party’s worst electoral defeat on record.