Robert Jenrick has hit back at accusations of dishonesty from his former boss, Kemi Badenoch, after a heated exchange over messages he claims were sent by a senior Conservative colleague. The dispute comes following Jenrick’s dramatic defection to Reform UK last week, after he was sacked from Badenoch’s front bench in the Conservative Party.
Text Messages Spark Public Feud
In a tense interview with GB News, Jenrick revealed what he described as a personal attack from a Conservative colleague in March 2024. He said he was told he had a “special place in hell” after publishing an opinion piece advocating for a redirection of foreign aid funding to bolster the nation’s defence budget. The message, which Jenrick claims was sent by a senior Tory, ignited a fresh wave of political tension, with Jenrick accusing his former party of hypocrisy over its stance on foreign aid.
The following day, Badenoch, who now leads the Conservatives, dismissed Jenrick’s claims, calling them untrue. She accused him of lying about the exchange. In response, Jenrick posted a screenshot of a text message from Rebecca Harris, the Tory chief whip, which read: “You have a really special place in hell.”
The image also showed further harsh comments, including references to Jenrick as a “bloodsucker” and a “user,” with the sender suggesting he and former home secretary Suella Braverman leave the Conservative Party. Jenrick maintained the authenticity of the messages, yet the context surrounding the messages suggested they were part of a broader critique of his political actions, particularly regarding his public clashes with party lines.
Jenrick, now a member of Reform UK, accused the Conservative Party of lying to the public during his time in office and implied that Badenoch’s team had been caught in falsehoods once again. A Reform UK source echoed this sentiment, accusing the Tories of prioritizing foreign aid over military funding, which they claimed was deeply unpopular within the party’s senior ranks.
On the other hand, a Conservative source stood by Badenoch, branding Jenrick’s portrayal of the messages as misleading. They argued that the texts had little to do with his stance on foreign aid and were rather a reaction to his involvement in a faction within the Conservative Party, which they claimed contributed to a disastrous result for the Tories in the 2024 elections. The source dismissed Jenrick’s new role in Reform UK, suggesting he would fit in well with the party’s reputation for backstabbing and drama.
The ongoing exchange underscores the deep divisions within the Conservative Party and the tensions that have emerged as former allies find themselves on opposite sides of the political spectrum. As Jenrick seeks a fresh start with Reform UK, his feud with Badenoch looks set to continue shaping the political narrative in the coming weeks.
