Overview
- Hours after losing his shadow justice role and the Tory whip, the Newark MP appeared alongside Nigel Farage in Westminster to confirm he had joined Reform UK.
- Kemi Badenoch said she had "clear, irrefutable evidence" of a planned defection designed to harm the party, and Conservatives released extracts of a draft speech they say support that claim.
- Farage confirmed talks with Jenrick over "weeks, some months" and argued Badenoch "jumped the gun," while welcoming the move as strengthening Reform.
- Conservatives named Nick Timothy as the new shadow justice secretary, as multiple reports described a mole in Jenrick’s team who allegedly passed the draft speech to Badenoch’s office.
- Jenrick attacked both main parties on migration, courts, prisons and defence, ruled out a Tory–Reform pact, and said he would not trigger a by‑election in his seat.