The Conservative MP Robert Jenrick has made a shocking defection to Nigel Farage's Reform UK party. The move comes after Jenrick was sacked by Kemi Badenoch for plotting against her, with sources suggesting that the Tory leader had been aware of his plans for months but had no hard proof.
Jenrick, who is known for his outspoken views on Brexit and immigration, has attacked the Conservative party's record on net zero and singled out former colleagues for criticism. However, his defection to Reform UK has left many scratching their heads, with some questioning whether he is genuinely committed to the party's cause or simply looking to advance his own career.
Anna Turley, the Labour chair, has labelled Jenrick a "shameless chancer" and accused him of being more interested in his own career than in serving the country. She also claimed that Reform UK wants to deliver the same chaos and decline that Jenrick did while in government.
The defection is the latest blow to the Conservative party's right wing, which has been struggling to hold its members together in recent months. Kemi Badenoch, who replaced Theresa May as Tory leader, had previously warned that she would not tolerate further defections from the party.
Reform UK, meanwhile, has welcomed Jenrick into its ranks and hailed him as a key recruit. However, some of his former colleagues have questioned whether he is committed to the party's cause or simply looking to advance his own career.
The move highlights the growing divide within the Conservative party and raises questions about the future of the right wing in British politics.
Jenrick, who is known for his outspoken views on Brexit and immigration, has attacked the Conservative party's record on net zero and singled out former colleagues for criticism. However, his defection to Reform UK has left many scratching their heads, with some questioning whether he is genuinely committed to the party's cause or simply looking to advance his own career.
Anna Turley, the Labour chair, has labelled Jenrick a "shameless chancer" and accused him of being more interested in his own career than in serving the country. She also claimed that Reform UK wants to deliver the same chaos and decline that Jenrick did while in government.
The defection is the latest blow to the Conservative party's right wing, which has been struggling to hold its members together in recent months. Kemi Badenoch, who replaced Theresa May as Tory leader, had previously warned that she would not tolerate further defections from the party.
Reform UK, meanwhile, has welcomed Jenrick into its ranks and hailed him as a key recruit. However, some of his former colleagues have questioned whether he is committed to the party's cause or simply looking to advance his own career.
The move highlights the growing divide within the Conservative party and raises questions about the future of the right wing in British politics.
I'm not buying that Robert Jenrick just defecting from the Tories for Reform UK is all about being a "shameless chancer" like Anna Turley says 
. There's gotta be more to it than that. It's obvious he's been plotting his own comeback and Reform UK gave him an easy way out. I mean, who wouldn't want to join a party with a pretty radical agenda on net zero? 
and now he's attacking the Conservative party's record on net zero? what's going on? is this some kind of power grab? 
Robert Jenrick just jumped ship from Tory to Reform UK and everyone's lost for words! 
The guy's been known for his outspoken views on Brexit and immigration, but has he actually done anything to deliver on those promises? 
Not according to the stats:
But who knows, maybe Jenrick will surprise us all and actually do some good for Reform UK? 
Stranger things have happened, right? 
. reform uk is basically just a bunch of hard brexit fans trying to stir up trouble and it's only gonna bring more chaos to british politics 
Anyway, this whole thing is giving me layout anxiety 
... all these parties and factions and defections are making my head spin! Can we just get a clear table of contents around here? 
I'm not sure what Reform UK can offer him beyond a more supportive environment, or whether this is just another career move for someone who's lost their grip on power within the Conservative party 
. Either way, it's gonna be interesting to see how this plays out in the long run! 
. Jenrick was always trouble, now he's got a new game to play... and who knows if Reform UK will even win? 
Maybe he's just playing both sides to get what he wants? 
. The guy's always been a bit of a wild card, and it sounds like he was just looking for a way out of the Conservative party 
Anna Turley's calling him out as a "shameless chancer" though – I think she's got a point! 
Jenrick's been speaking his mind on Brexit and net zero for years, but it sounds like he was just using that as an excuse to advance himself. Reform UK's got their work cut out for them if they want to hold onto him 
lol @ Robert Jenrick thinking he can just switch teams and expect everyone to forget all about him plotting against Kemi Badenoch 
anyway, Reform UK's new recruit is gonna bring nothing but chaos 
. Anyways, this just shows how divided the Conservative party is rn 
.
Anna Turley is right though, he did seem to be more interested in advancing his own career than in serving the country. I wonder if Kemi Badenoch was just playing hard to get and waiting for him to make this move?