Victoria Atkins, the shadow environment secretary, has publicly condemned Robert Jenrick for defecting to Reform UK, revealing on live television that he has not spoken to her since leaving the Conservative Party in January. The tense exchange occurred on the BBC’s local election programme, where Atkins appeared visibly angry and refused to make eye contact with Jenrick.
Atkins Expresses Personal Loss
Atkins stated, “Rob has not spoken to me since he left the Conservative party in the way that he did. And I considered us to be very good friends. So it has been a great personal loss for me, as well as a professional one.” She emphasized that Jenrick’s behavior raised questions about the trustworthiness of both him and Reform UK, adding, “How one conducts oneself is important. This is a message that will continue until the general election, that if people are asking the voters for trust, then that has to be genuine.”
Jenrick Defends His Actions
Jenrick attempted to shift the focus to the Conservatives’ record in government, arguing that the party broke trust with the British public by failing to secure borders. He said, “The Conservative party is not trusted because it didn’t do what it said it was going to do. It was open season.” Atkins interrupted, reminding him that immigration rose to its highest levels during his tenure as immigration minister. Jenrick countered that he resigned because he was appalled by what he had seen.
Bitter Relationship Since Defection
When pressed about not speaking to Atkins for four months, Jenrick replied, “I don’t personalise things. That is not the way I conduct myself.” Since his defection, the relationship between Jenrick and his former party has been unusually bitter. After Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused him of lying, Jenrick released private texts from a Conservative official, including one from chief whip Rebecca Harris saying there was “a special place in hell” for him.
