10 h. ago Kemi Badenoch dismisses Reform’s May defection deadline for Tories

Nigel Farage and his head of policy Zia Yusuf have indicated May 7 would be a cut-off point for admitting Conservative defectors to their party.

Events

16 h. ago Badenoch claims ‘Britain is not broken’ in rebuke to Jenrick after Reform defection

Jenrick was sacked by the Conservative leader this week hours before he defected to Nigel Farage’s party

Politics

21 h. ago ‘I have lost a friend’: Tories in Jenrick’s constituency shocked by defection to Reform

While voters in Jenrick’s Newark constituency were mixed on the decision, members of the local Conservatives felt betrayedFor Sam Smith, Thursday began as an ordinary day. The Conservative councillor was preparing for a budget scrutiny meeting at the Reform-led Nottinghamshire county council hall, where he is leader of the opposition, when he received a message from long-time friend Robert Jenrick.The MP’s message to the Newark Conservative Association’s group chat queried what local pubs they could visit to oppose Labour’s hike on business rates. Continue reading...

Events

32 h. ago Will Robert Jenrick’s defection to Reform convince wavering Tories to jump ship?

Nigel Farage’s warning that MPs have until May – the date of the English local elections – has prompted fears of more departures, write Kate Devlin and David Maddox

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33 h. ago Martin Rowson on the Tories defecting to Reform UK – cartoon

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36 h. ago 'Traitors' politics: Minister's warning as Farage teases Labour defection to Reform after Jenrick joins from Tories

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said Reform UK was a ‘Right-wing project’ despite Nigel Farage’s party attracting a significant number of Labour voters

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37 h. ago Kemi Badenoch says she is '100% confident' there won't be more major defections to Reform as she trades blows with Robert Jenrick over his 'lies'

Kemi Badenoch dismissed the prospect of any more of her shadow cabinet switching sides as she mocked Nigel Farage for 'doing my Spring cleaning'.

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37 h. ago Jenrick says he hopes his defection to Reform UK will ‘unite the right’ after Badenoch says he ‘tells a lot of lies’ – UK politics live

Reform UK’s newest MP said he made the decision to leave the Tories over Christmas‘Enough already’: Jenrick’s defection gets mixed reception from Reform membersKemi Badenoch said Robert Jenrick is now “Nigel Farage’s problem” and that he creates “instability” wherever he goes.The Conservative party leader told the Press Association that Tories who supported Jenrick feel “betrayed” he has joined Reform UK.Absolutely, he’s Nigel Farage’s problem. Now he and his acolytes are people who create instability wherever they go, and they can go do that in Reform.They are a party that is just about people who want drama and intrigue - the public, quite frankly, are sick of this. Continue reading...

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38 h. ago 'Traitors' politics: Minister's warning as Farage teases Labour defection to Reform after Jenrick joins party from Tories

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said Reform UK was a ‘Right-wing project’ despite Nigel Farage’s party attracting a significant number of Labour voters

Politics

38 h. ago Tories ‘getting act together’ after Jenrick defection, says Badenoch

Conservative leader thanks Reform’s Nigel Farage for doing her ‘spring cleaning’ for her

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42 h. ago Will any more Tories follow Jenrick out of the door? Badenoch hopes brutal move has stemmed flow of defections

Westminster is reeling from Mrs Badenoch's extraordinary pre-emptive strike on her former leadership rival yesterday, sacking him before he could defect to Reform.

Politics

51 h. ago Kemi Badenoch bids to steady Tories after Robert Jenrick’s defection to Reform

The Newark MP said most of his former Tory colleagues ‘don’t have the stomach for the radical change this country needs’.

Politics

52 h. ago Our economy's moribund, borders are broken, armed forces depleted and the PM's an ocean

On a dramatic day at Westminster, the former Conservative leadership contender became the highest-profile defector to Nigel Farage's insurgent party.

Events

55 h. ago Robert Jenrick attacks Tories as he joins Reform after sacking over 'secret' defection plot

Nigel Farage unveils former Tory leadership hopeful as new member of Reform in highest profile defection yet to his party

Events

57 h. ago Full list of Tories who have defected to Farage’s Reform after Jenrick officially joins

Robert Jenrick has been sacked by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch due to ‘irrefutable evidence that he was plotting in secret to defect’ from the party

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57 h. ago Robert Jenrick latest: New Reform MP burns bridges with Tories after sacking prompts defection to Farage’s party

Reform leader Nigel Farage says Kemi Badenoch handed him ‘on a plate’ man who had done more than anything to realign centre-right politics

Events

57 h. ago 'The Tories and Labour have forfeited the right to govern': How Robert Jenrick planned to urge other Conservatives to follow him to Reform before he was rumbled

As the former immigration minister was unveiled by Nigel Farage in a haphazard press conference, the Conservative Party released extracts of hi speech.

Politics

57 h. ago Robert Jenrick attacks Tories as ‘failed’ party as he defects to Reform

It comes after the Newark MP was sacked from the Tory frontbench by Kemi Badenoch.

Events

57 h. ago 'The Tories and Labour have forfeited the right to govern': How Robert Jenrick planned to announce Reform defection

As the former immigration minister was unveiled by Nigel Farage in a haphazard press conference, the Conservative Party released extracts of hi speech.

Politics

57 h. ago Jenrick joins Reform UK and claims Labour and Tories ‘broke Britain’ as Farage rules out any more defections after May – politics live

Nigel Farage introduces former shadow justice secretary at press conference following upheaval in Tory partyFull report: Badenoch sacks JenrickNigel Farage, speaking at his press conference in Scotland, has said that “of course” he has had conversations with Robert Jenrick, who was sacked by Kemi Badenoch this morning for planning to defect.UPDATE: Farage said:I have had conversations with a number of very senior conservatives over the course of the last week, the last month. A lot of them realise that for all the talk on 8 May the Conservative Party will cease to be a national party. They will be obliterated in Scotland, Wales, the red wall councils.As far as Mr Jenrick is concerned, of course I have talked to Robert Jenrick. Was I on the verge of signing him up? No. But we have had conversations.This morning I removed the Conservative whip from Robert Jenrick after dismissing him from the shadow cabinet.I was very sorry to be presented with clear, irrefutable evidence, not just th...

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