Harrogate’s MP has blasted Robert Jenrick’s ‘lack of conviction’ after the former shadow justice secretary defected to Reform UK after being sacked by Kemi Badenoch

In response to reports that the senior Tory figure had defected from the Conservative Party to Reform, Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said: “This looks less like conviction and more like desperation from Robert Jenrick.

"If I had one question for him, it’s this: what was it about losing the Conservative leadership contest that suddenly convinced him the Conservatives had broken Britain?”

Jenrick appeared with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage just hours after Tory leader Kemi Badenoch withdrew the whip from the ex-Tory leadership candidate.

Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said: “This looks less like conviction and more like desperation from Robert Jenrick." (Picture contributed)

placeholder image — Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said: “This looks less like conviction and more like desperation from Robert Jenrick." (Picture contributed)

Later Jenrick, who served in a number of roles in the last Conservative government, admitted he had first reached out to Nigel Farage in September after he claimed to realise “the Conservatives could not fix Britain.”