In a seismic shift for British politics, former Conservative shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick has defected to Reform UK. His move comes after he was sacked from the Tory party by leader Kemi Badenoch for allegedly "plotting to defect," capping a remarkable ideological journey from a centrist David Cameron supporter to a standard-bearer for the anti-immigration right.
From Centrist Musketeer to Hardline Campaigner
Jenrick's political transformation is stark. Elected as an MP in a 2014 by-election in Newark, he was once part of a trio of centrist rising stars alongside Rishi Sunak and Oliver Dowden. A Remainer during the 2016 EU referendum, he has since undergone what critics call a complete reinvention.
His leadership campaign against Badenoch in 2024 was defined by an uncompromising stance on immigration. His core policy was to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), a position now adopted by the Conservatives. He was backed by figures from the party's hard right, including veteran Brexiteers Mark Francois and Sir John Hayes.
This marked a significant departure from his earlier reputation. His journey has been so pronounced that fellow Tory MPs nicknamed him "Robert Generic." Despite this, Jenrick has insisted, "My values haven't changed one bit," a claim his critics fiercely dispute.
A Career Marred by Controversy
Jenrick's ministerial career has been punctuated by high-profile controversies. As housing secretary under Boris Johnson, he was embroiled in a scandal after fast-tracking a £1bn planning decision for property developer and Tory donor Richard Desmond, a decision later overturned. The timing, coming just weeks before Desmond donated £12,000 to the party, sparked a major row.
Later, as immigration minister, he ordered the painting over of Mickey Mouse and other cartoon murals at a child asylum seeker reception centre in Dover, an act he later said he regretted. "It's not something I would do again. I would never want to do anything that was anything other than compassionate towards children," he told Sky News.
He resigned from the role in December 2023, claiming the government's Rwanda deportation scheme was "fatally flawed" and not tough enough, a move widely seen as the start of his leadership manoeuvring.
The Final Breach and Defection
The final rupture with the Conservative leadership had been brewing. At the party's conference in autumn 2025, Jenrick infuriated Tory loyalists by refusing to rule out a pact with Reform UK. When asked by Sky News if he would "never support a pact," he replied, "That is not our priority."
Earlier today, Kemi Badenoch delivered the political bombshell of sacking him from the shadow cabinet. This action, ostensibly for plotting to defect, immediately paved the way for his formal announcement that he was joining Nigel Farage's party.
Jenrick has long expressed admiration for figures on the right. He previously stated he would have "no problem" with Nigel Farage joining the Conservatives and said that if he were American, he would vote for Donald Trump.
His defection is a significant coup for Reform UK and a major blow to Badenoch's authority, highlighting the ongoing fracture on the British right. From a Remainer solicitor to a Brexit-hardliner celebrating "vigilante justice" against fare dodgers, Jenrick's turbulent journey now enters its most sensational chapter yet, taking him beyond the Conservative Party's right flank entirely.
