Leaked notes for Jenrick defection reveal he wanted to be ‘new sheriff in town’
Robert Jenrick was labelled ‘the new sheriff in town’ in a secret media memo which was leaked to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch before his defection to Reform.
The private ‘media plan’ was drawn up for the former Shadow Justice Secretary while he was plotting to join Nigel Farage’s party and described him as ‘the most dynamic politician in the Conservative Party’.
The briefing was not written by Jenrick, but extracts appear to show he annotated it with his own handwriting.
The memo – published by the Mail on Sunday and Sunday Times – fell into the hands of Kemi Badenoch’s office and triggered his dramatic expulsion from the Tory party on Thursday this week.
Hours later, the Newark MP appeared at a Reform UK press conference and announced he had joined the party.
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One line from the six-page media advice read: ‘You’re the new sheriff in town, here to provide experience and political heft to Reform’s operation so the country can be fixed.
It continued: ‘You’re the biggest defection story Reform has ever had (and likely ever will).
‘The most popular Tory shadow cabinet member, leader in waiting if Kemi ever fails, and the most dynamic politician in the Conservative party.’
The plan also listed questions which appeared to be in preparation for any press conference after a defection to Reform.
One practice question accuses Jenrick of ‘jumping ship to save your career’, to which the briefing answers: ‘Last time I checked I was top of the brilliant Conservative Home shadow cabinet league table so I seemed to be doing alright!’
Handwritten scrawlings over that answer read: ‘Bookies favourite to be next…’
One piece of advice also tells Jenrick to ‘be self-effacing or have a laugh, sometimes even on policy-based questions’.
One Tory MP reportedly described the memo as an ‘Alan Partridge-style motivational speech in the mirror’.
The notes were obtained by a mole in Jenrick’s office and sent to Ms Badenoch ahead of his defection, sparking fevered speculation about the source of the leak.
Badnoch then posted a video online this morning, accusing her leadership rival of planning to exit ‘in a way designed to be as damaging as possible’ to the party and colleagues.
Her suspicions were confirmed when Jenrick then delivered a scathing speech about his former leader, colleagues and party.
The move has been hailed by senior Reform figures.
Deputy leader Richard Tice told the BBC this morning that Jenrick was ‘a great new asset’ who brought ministerial experience to the party to win the next general election.
However a source close to the Tory leadership told the Mail on Sunday: ‘A source close to the Tory leadership said: ‘Jenrick has been radicalised by his own personal ambition and his wife [lawyer Michal Berkner]. It’s quite astonishing to see what’s changed in him.’
Sources within Reform have claimed that a ‘clutch’ of more defections should be expected from the Conservative Party.
However Mr Farage has stressed that the party was ‘not a rescue charity for every panicky Tory MP’, telling any potential defectors in The Telegraph they would have to admit publicly the Conservatives ‘broke the country’.
He has also claimed a ‘well-known Labour figure’ will defect to his party this week.
The party has said there is a deadline for other defectors of the day of the local and devolved government elections, May 7.
A spokesman for Mr Jenrick said: ‘As the document makes clear Rob is just a member of Nigel’s team and wants to help get him in as Prime Minister. And it’s a team which – unlike the Tories – wants to change Britain rather than pretend it isn’t broken.’
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