‘I have sacked Robert Jenrick from the shadow cabinet, removed the whip and suspended his party membership with immediate effect,’ Tory leader says.

George Osborne, the former Tory chancellor, says that, if Kemi Badenoch thinks that sacking Robert Jenrick will end the Tory psychodrama (see 11.11am), she is wrong. Speaking on the latest edition of his Political Currency podcast this morning, recorded as the news was breaking, he said:

And what are Tory MPs going to do? Are they going to defect to Reform? Is the pressure going to grow to have an alliance with Reform? Or are they going to say, look, the Jenricks of this world can leave, but we think the future lies with the Tory party …

If [Badenoch] thinks the psychodrama is over, I’m afraid it’s just beginning.

James Heale from the Spectator says some Reform UK members are not all thrilled about the prospect of Robert Jenrick joining the party.

One councillor says: “. But I cannot for the life of me understand why Nigel would be entertaining a man he personally called a fraud.

“It makes us look ridiculous. It’s bad enough when someone defects and has had a pop at Nigel or Reform previously, but it’s worse when it’s the other way round.”

Robert Jenrick sacked by Kemi Badenoch over 'clear evidence he was plotting to defect' – UK politics live

11 hours ago, bannork said:

But I cannot for the life of me understand why Nigel would be entertaining a man he personally called a fraud.

Happens all the time in politics, opportunitism reigns.