A leading Reform figure has told Sky News that Robert Jenrick’s defection to the party is a “really important milestone” and “makes it more likely that we win the next general election”.
Until he was kicked out of the Conservative Party by leader Kemi Badenoch on Thursday, Mr Jenrick was the shadow justice secretary and had served more than 11 years as a Tory MP.
Ms Badenoch said she had found out he was plotting to defect in “a way designed to be as damaging as possible” and then sacked him.
Hours later, Mr Jenrick was unveiled as the latest high-profile recruit to Reform UK by leader Nigel Farage, in a week where the party had already welcomed former Tory chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi.
Mr Jenrick has conceded he was “resolved” to switch to Reform before he was given the boot.
Speaking about Mr Jenrick’s switch, Reform’s head of policy Zia Yusuf told Sky News: “My assessment is this is a man who is thoughtful, who is clear-eyed about all of the different ways the Tories betrayed this country and wants to help Nigel, help me, help Richard [Tice] and everyone at Reform repair that damage.”
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Speaking on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Mr Yusuf said: “I also think it’s crystal clear that him arriving at Reform makes it more likely that we win the next general election, and I think that’s a really important milestone in order for us to do that, to turn the country around.”
Mr Yusuf also said Reform UK would not make a pact with the Conservative Party and “there isn’t space for two centre-right parties”.
‘The new sheriff in town’
It follows reports that Mr Jenrick’s plan for his defection referred to him as “the new sheriff in town” and “the biggest defection story Reform has ever had”.
The leaked plan also mentioned Mr Zahawi’s defection, suggesting it was prepared in recent days, according to The Mail on Sunday and The Sunday Times.
A source close to Mr Jenrick denied he was involved with the document, and said it shows “Rob is just a member of Nigel’s team and wants to help get him in as prime minister”.
Asked about whether Mr Jenrick referred to himself as the “sheriff”, Mr Yusuf told Sky News: “Any time a politician moves from one party to another, particularly defecting between two fierce rivals, there’s going to be briefing and counter briefing.”
But he added that “what matters is… serving the British people”. He also declined to say what role Mr Jenrick could serve in the party, but said Mr Farage will be “making those decisions now”.
Badenoch says she’s ‘cleaning out the rubbish’
Mr Yusuf also confirmed that Reform intends to “destroy” the Conservative Party.
He told Sir Trevor: “There isn’t space for two centre-right parties in this country. There just isn’t under our electoral system.
“So I’m afraid, we must replace, the Tory. You can call it destroy, replace, whatever it means – but we will not do a pact with the Tories.”
Mr Jenrick has continued his attacks on his former party, writing in The Sun on Sunday that the Tories have “almost become the party of posh people” and many are “so out of touch”.
Reform has set a deadline of 7 May (the day of local elections), after which the party has said it will not take any more Conservative Party defectors.
It follows accusations that Mr Farage’s party is becoming packed with ex-Tory ministers and MPs, while Ms Badenoch wrote in The Times that she is “cleaning out the rubbish from the Conservative Party”.
After this was put to Mr Yusuf on Sky News, he responded: “Well, if Kemi Badenoch is focused on taking out the rubbish, there’ll be nothing at CCHQ (Conservative Campaign Headquarters) or within the parliamentary party.”
