Conservative leader says she had ‘irrefutable evidence’ shadow justice secretary was plotting to defect in most damaging way
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Robert Jenrick has been sacked from the shadow cabinet and suspended from the Conservative party after Kemi Badenoch said she was presented with “irrefutable evidence” that he was planning to defect from the party.
The shadow justice secretary was Badenoch’s leadership rival and had long been said to be prepared do a deal with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Badenoch did not name the party to which Jenrick was planning to defect, but sources confirmed it was Reform UK, and criticised him for putting personal ambition above loyalty. Farage is due to give a press conference in Westminster on Thursday afternoon.
