The defection of former Conservative minister Robert Jenrick to Reform UK significantly increases the party's chances of winning the next general election, according to a leading figure within Nigel Farage's movement.
A 'Clear-Eyed' Defection and a Major Milestone
Zia Yusuf, Reform's head of policy, told Sky News that Mr Jenrick's switch represents a "really important milestone" for the party. He described the former shadow justice secretary as a thoughtful politician who is "clear-eyed about all of the different ways the Tories betrayed this country."
Mr Jenrick, who had been a Tory MP for over 11 years, was expelled from the Conservative Party by leader Kemi Badenoch on Thursday, 16 January 2026. Ms Badenoch stated she discovered he was planning to defect in "a way designed to be as damaging as possible" and subsequently sacked him from the frontbench.
Hours after his dismissal, Mr Jenrick was unveiled as Reform's latest high-profile recruit by Nigel Farage. This followed the party's acquisition of former chancellor Nadhim Zahawi earlier in the same week.
No Pact with the Tories: 'We Must Replace Them'
In a clear declaration of intent, Mr Yusuf explicitly ruled out any electoral pact with the Conservatives. He argued that "there isn't space for two centre-right parties" within the UK's political system.
"So I'm afraid, we must replace the Tories," he stated during an interview on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips. "You can call it destroy, replace, whatever it means - but we will not do a pact with the Tories."
He confirmed that the party's objective is to supplant the Conservatives entirely, framing Mr Jenrick's arrival as a catalyst that "makes it more likely that we win the next general election."
Leaked Plans and Political Fallout
The defection was accompanied by reports of a leaked plan, published by The Mail on Sunday and The Sunday Times, which referred to Mr Jenrick as "the new sheriff in town" and "the biggest defection story Reform has ever had." The document also mentioned Mr Zahawi's move, suggesting it was prepared recently.
A source close to Mr Jenrick denied his involvement with the document, stating it showed "Rob is just a member of Nigel's team and wants to help get him in as prime minister."
In response, Ms Badenoch has framed the expulsions as "cleaning out the rubbish from the Conservative Party." To this, Mr Yusuf retorted: "Well, if Kemi Badenoch is focused on taking out the rubbish, there'll be nothing at CCHQ or within the parliamentary party."
Reform UK has set a deadline of 7 May 2026 – the date of local elections – after which it says it will not accept any further defectors from the Conservative Party.
