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Political Business

Kemi Badenoch Sacks Robert Jenrick - He Defects to Reform

Season 2, Ep. 1

Breaking political news kicks off Political Business’ first podcast of 2026 as Kemi Badenoch sacks Robert Jenrick from the Conservative shadow cabinet, amid claims he was planning a defection to Reform UK.


In this episode, Nathan Parsad-Wyatt and Kevin McKeever unpack:


Why Jenrick was seen as a leadership threat to Badenoch


Whether Reform UK benefits from ex-Tory defectors


The political theatre behind the timing of the sacking


What this tells us about the state of the Conservative Party


The conversation then turns to Labour’s growing leadership anxiety, with MPs increasingly talking about a post-Keir Starmer era. We explore:


Why Starmer’s authority appears to be fading


Wes Streeting’s leadership positioning


The significance of the Progress anniversary dinner


Whether Labour has a clear vision beyond cost-of-living messaging


Finally, we assess what the Labour government is actually delivering in early 2026, including:


New economic growth figures


The Northern Powerhouse Rail recommitment


Infrastructure, cost of living and the road to the May elections


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