Newscast (BBC News) — The Robert Jenrick Interview

Date: January 16, 2026
Host: Laura Kuenssberg

Episode Overview

In this episode of Newscast, Laura Kuenssberg interviews Robert Jenrick on his dramatic defection from the Conservative Party to Reform UK. This is Jenrick’s first full day as a Reform UK member, following a turbulent exit marked by internal party disputes and accusations of betrayal. The conversation covers the reasons and timing behind his decision, his criticisms of the Conservatives, his new stance within Reform UK, and the implications for British politics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Decision to Leave the Conservative Party

• Emotional Weight and Timing

  • Jenrick describes his departure as a “huge day” and emotionally challenging, having been a Conservative since age 16. (02:26)
  • Emphasizes the decision was long in the making, finalized over the Christmas period, with the “last straw” being a shadow cabinet away day where party leadership refused to acknowledge the country’s problems. (05:54)

• On Trust and Transparency

  • Laura presses Jenrick about when he actually made the decision, highlighting anger among former colleagues who felt misled by his continued participation in internal discussions.
  • Jenrick insists he had been honest with the public and prioritizes country over party loyalty, referencing his previous principled resignation under Rishi Sunak. (09:09)

• Process and Alleged ‘Plot’

  • Acknowledges talks with Nigel Farage began months before, but disputes any suggestion of duplicity, likening his deliberations to difficult personal decisions in ordinary life. (12:13)

Quote:
“If you’re asking me the question, what do I put first, a political party or the country? 100%. I would say the country.”
— Robert Jenrick (09:09)

2. Critique of the Conservative Party

• Party Denial and Out-of-Touchness

  • Jenrick recounts disagreement at the shadow cabinet away day: while some acknowledged Britain was “broken,” they refused to say so publicly, fearing it would reflect blame on the Conservatives.
  • “The arsonists were still in control… not even capable of understanding what it had got wrong, let alone fixing it.” (05:13)

• On Reform’s Appeal

  • Suggests the Conservative Party is “a prisoner of its past,” unwilling to repent for mistakes or offer real solutions.
  • Claims the Labour government is also failing to address urgent national challenges. (21:22)

3. Working with Reform UK & Nigel Farage

• Jenrick’s Shift in Alliances

  • Addresses past criticisms of Nigel Farage, acknowledging mutual political barbs but stressing respect for Farage’s consistency, especially on migration and economic issues. (15:49)

• Policy Alignment

  • On family benefits: supports “pro-family” policies for British workers—a key Reform stance—differentiating from Labour’s and Conservative’s approaches. (17:59)
  • On benefits in general: strong rhetoric against economic inactivity and “scrounging,” promising focus on working “alarm clock Britain.” (18:53)

• On the NHS

  • Distances himself from a Farage-suggested insurance model, choosing instead to focus on the necessity of “real reform” so the NHS delivers for ordinary people. (19:56)

Quote:
“We should be protecting and preserving them and ensuring that they can have the lowest possible taxes, the best public services, and not privileging others.”
— Robert Jenrick (17:59)

4. Accountability, Representation, and By-Election

• Local Accountability
  • Rejects calls for a by-election, contending that his personal brand of independent-mindedness earned him support in Newark, not just his Conservative label. (14:27)
  • Pledges to continue serving constituents “to the absolute best of my ability.” (14:34)

5. Owning the Record—Can Jenrick Be Forgiven?

• Past in Conservative Cabinets
  • Admits failures in government but emphasizes his efforts to “challenge the system,” particularly as Housing Secretary and Immigration Minister.
  • Cites resigning over failed immigration policy and being among the very few MPs to vote against flawed approaches. (22:33)
  • “I haven’t been perfect. I’ve made mistakes like anyone has… But I have always tried to be honest with the British public about the challenges and to rise to them.” (23:36)

6. Prospects for the Right and the Future of Reform UK

• Future Unity

  • Argues “uniting the right” is the only path to avoiding further decline under Labour. Urges disillusioned Conservative voters to rally behind Reform and Farage. (28:52)
  • Denies personal ambition as motivation, noting he forfeited frontrunner status for Conservative leadership by defecting. (30:10)

• Vision of National Renewal

  • Paints a dire picture of national decline, but claims there is hope through radical change, echoed by the Reform movement’s plans for comprehensive renewal. (25:02)
  • “If we don’t fix this at the next general election, I feel our country is probably going to slip away.” (25:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The trust is gone—and rightly so—with the Conservative Party.”
  — Robert Jenrick (08:45)

• “The party’s policy was to say that Britain is not broken… Some people are just completely out of touch.”
  — Robert Jenrick (07:43)

• “I argued that the Conservative Party failed the country. And I prosecuted that argument over and over again ever since, trying—begging—the Conservative Party to change course.” (13:17)

• “Frankly, all [previous Conservative PMs] in different ways, have been disappointments.”
  — Robert Jenrick (16:42)

• “Reform is essentially our country’s last shot.”
  — Robert Jenrick (24:45)

• “If you want to get rid of this Labour government and have a strong reforming government to fix the country, there’s frankly only one way to do that… that is to vote for Nigel, to rally behind him and Reform.” (28:53)

• “You don’t do that if you’re motivated by personal ambition… I want to play my part in making sure we turn the country around.”
  — Robert Jenrick (30:10)

• “I think people in time will look back on this moment and say this was a time when the right united, when people put aside party loyalties and came together to fix our country.”
  — Robert Jenrick (31:07)

Key Timestamps

• 02:26 — Jenrick recounts emotional weight of resigning after decades as a Conservative.
• 05:54 — Describes the final straw: the party’s denial at shadow cabinet away day.
• 09:09 — Asserts honesty with public, country-over-party ethos.
• 12:13 — Explains agonizing over the decision, likens it to ending a personal relationship.
• 14:27 — On by-election: rules it out, emphasizes constituent trust in him personally.
• 15:49 — Discusses relationship with Farage; addresses past criticisms.
• 17:59 — Outlines position on family benefits and economic inactivity.
• 19:56 — NHS: wants reform, not an insurance model.
• 22:33 — Record as Housing Secretary and Immigration Minister: defending his radical actions.
• 24:45 — On future of right-wing politics and Reform’s role as “last shot.”
• 28:53 — Calls for uniting the right: Reform as sole answer to Labour.
• 30:10 — Addresses personal ambition; emphasizes principles over career.
• 31:07 — On whether he’s a traitor: predicts history will judge him as pivotal in uniting the right.

Summary

This Newscast episode offers a searching, candid interview with Robert Jenrick during a dramatic moment in UK politics. Jenrick argues that both major parties—Conservative and Labour—have lost touch with the real struggles facing ordinary Britons. He details his disillusionment with Conservative leadership, positioning himself as a plain-speaking, principled defector. Jenrick aligns with Reform UK’s vision of national renewal, strict migration policy, and “pro-family” economic support for working British families. Throughout, he defends his integrity, repudiates accusations of opportunism, and calls for a broad coalition behind Reform to enact radical change—urging the right and the disillusioned public alike to embrace this political realignment.