Kemi Badenoch has challenged Robert Jenrick to hold a by-election in his Newark constituency following his defection from the Conservatives to Reform UK.
The Conservative leader said voters should be given the chance to decide whether they still support Jenrick after he crossed the floor, accusing Reform of hypocrisy over democratic accountability.
🗳️ Badenoch: ‘If they love democracy, call by-elections’
Speaking to GB News, Badenoch said that while postponed local elections should go ahead, there was another democratic test that could happen immediately.
“But do you know which other elections can go ahead?” she said.
“By-elections for the people who have jumped to Reform. If they really love democracy, let’s see those by-elections happen.”
Her comments follow a turbulent week for the Conservatives, which has seen two MPs defect to Reform UK and growing concern among Tory activists about party discipline and trust with voters.
🔁 Are defecting MPs required to call by-elections?
There is no legal requirement for MPs who switch parties to trigger a by-election, nor is there a binding parliamentary convention.
However, some politicians who have defected in the past have voluntarily sought a fresh mandate from their constituents, arguing that voters elected them under a specific party label.
Badenoch’s intervention seeks to revive that argument, positioning Reform MPs as unwilling to put their new political allegiance to the test.
🚫 Jenrick rules out fresh vote
Jenrick has already rejected the idea of a by-election, making clear at a press conference announcing his defection that he would not return to the electorate.
“I don’t intend to call a by-election,” he said.
He argued that he had won his seat at the last general election “against every poll”, and suggested that voters backed him because of his independence and willingness to challenge party leadership.
🏛️ ‘People voted for me, not the rosette’
Jenrick claimed that many voters in Newark supported him personally rather than voting strictly along party lines.
“I think my constituents respected that I was willing to do things which are difficult,” he said.
“Sometimes be very independent-minded.”
He also pointed to his resignation as immigration minister in December 2023, when he stepped down over concerns that Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda legislation did not go far enough.
According to Jenrick, some Reform-leaning voters backed him at the election because of that stance.
📰 Tory anger in Newark
The Conservative association in Newark has strongly criticised Jenrick’s defection, accusing him of betraying local activists who campaigned for him.
In a statement, the association said he had “let down the activists who worked tirelessly on his behalf” and backed Badenoch’s decision to sack him from the shadow cabinet.
Senior Tory figures have also privately expressed frustration that MPs who criticised the cancellation of local elections are now refusing to consult voters after changing parties.
📄 Reform hypocrisy claims
According to The Telegraph, Badenoch has privately pointed out that Reform has repeatedly attacked the government for delaying elections, while simultaneously declining to allow by-elections when MPs defect to its ranks.
Reform UK has said it will stop accepting MPs and councillors who defect after the upcoming May local elections, a move critics say is designed to avoid further scrutiny.
✍️ Petition gains traction
The political row comes as a parliamentary petition calling for automatic by-elections when MPs defect to another party gathers momentum.
At the time of writing, the petition has reached 29,908 signatures, passing the threshold that requires a formal government response.
If it reaches 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.
The petition argues that voters should have the right to approve or reject a change in party allegiance by their MP, describing defections without consultation as a democratic failure.
You can sign it here: By-elections to be called automatically when MPs defect to another party – Petitions
⚖️ A growing political fault line
Badenoch’s challenge places Reform UK under pressure to explain why it supports electoral accountability in principle but not in practice.
With more MPs considering their futures ahead of the May elections, the question of whether defectors should face voters is likely to remain a flashpoint – not just between parties, but within them.
Leave a Reply