‘I’m the new sheriff in town!’: Robert Jenrick’s surreal ‘memo to self’ REVEALED as turncoat Tory summoned up the courage to jump ship to Reform

Robert Jenrick wanted to be described as the ‘new sheriff in town’, according to a secret memo obtained by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch before his chaotic departure for Reformation UK.

An exclusive ‘media plan’ drawn up by the former Shadow Justice Secretary as he made plans to join Nigel Farage’s party also described his move as ‘the biggest breakaway story the Reformation has ever had (and probably will have)’ and encouraged him to ‘use humor – one of your best skills’.

The plan, obtained by The Mail on Sunday, also describes him as ‘the most popular Tory Shadow Cabinet member, leader in waiting if Kemi falls and the Conservative Party’s most dynamic politician’, and notes scribbled over the plan, which appears to be Mr Jenrick’s handwriting, include lines about Mr Farage: ‘The only person in British politics’ [to have] It was consistent. ‘Clearly he is the right person to lead the attack.’

The notes, along with a draft of Mr Jenrick’s resignation speech, were intercepted by a mole in the MP’s office and sent to Ms Badenoch, who led Ms Badenoch to sack her before making her dramatic move and kicking her out of the party on Thursday.

Mr Jenrick was forced to formally defect later the same day at a joint press conference with Mr Farage, just three days after former Tory Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi also switched to Reform.

The way the Jenrick plan was blown up led to heated speculation in Westminster about the identity of the mole.

As accusations continue in Westminster, sources at Reform claim further departures from Ms Badenoch’s party are expected, while former Home Secretary Suella Braverman said she was also ‘in the game’. Mr Farage also claimed a ‘well-known Labor figure’ would join his party this week.

In addition, Tory MPs complained that Badenoch’s allies were waging a ‘witch hunt’ by questioning her intentions, while a senior Tory source said Ms Badenoch could use Mr Jenrick’s departure to force a reshuffle in the Shadow Cabinet to ‘clear the dead wood’.

Nigel Farage welcomed Robert Jenrick on Thursday, hours after he was summarily sacked by Kemi Badenoch for plotting treason.

An extract from Mr Jenrick’s note to himself showed he wanted to be named ‘the new sheriff in town’

Mr Jenrick also suggested his response to any questions about jumping ship to save his career should be: ‘Last I checked, I was top of the Conservative House Shadow Cabinet’s brilliant rankings, so I looked like I was doing well!’

The Mail on Sunday was told Mr Jenrick made his final decision to defect following a telephone conversation with Ms Badenoch earlier this month, following months of secret talks with Mr Farage.

There they discussed his criticism of Britain granting citizenship to extremist British-Egyptian dissident Alaa Abd El-Fattah, a decision taken under the Conservatives.

A source close to Mr Jenrick said: ‘The issues with Kemi have really come to a head over Al-Fattah. He objected to the decision to allow a dangerous extremist into the country, but Priti Patel [Shadow Foreign Secretary] and James Wisely [Shadow Housing Secretary] they were effectively complicit.

‘This came to a head when he told Kemi that people like Priti and James needed to be sacked if we were to show the country that the party had changed.

‘Then Nazanin Zatgari was critical of Ratcliffe when he brought up Al-Fattah. [the former British prisoner in Iran] You’re being ungrateful to us for getting him out of an Iranian prison.

‘He looked like he wanted to talk about anything other than confronting how seriously the party needed to change.’

Mr Jenrick’s media plan was derided by Conservative MPs, with one describing it as an “Alan Partridge-style motivational speech in the mirror”.

The six-page memo also states: ‘By the end of my year as immigration minister, we had reduced the number of illegal entries by a third and closed 100 hotels.’ ‘Was it enough, was it bad,’ he said, and suggested his answer to any questions about jumping ship to save his career should be: ‘Last I checked I was top of the Conservative House Shadow Cabinet’s brilliant rankings, so I looked like I was doing well!’

Mr Jenrick also described his move as ‘the biggest break-up story the Reformation has ever had (and probably will be)’ and encouraged him to ‘use one of your best skills, humour’.

Other points in Mr Jenrick’s media plan included giving ‘clear, positive’ answers and making sure he showed his feelings and emotions in his answers.

Mr Jenrick is advised to ‘listen to questions where you can be funny and not be afraid to self-efface or laugh, sometimes even policy-based questions’, and if asked if he would like to replace Farage as leader he is advised to say: ‘I thought I would get away with the leadership questions!’

In one particularly glorious passage, he writes: ‘You are the biggest breakaway story Reform has ever had (and will probably continue to do so in the future), the most popular Tory Shadow Cabinet member, the reserve leader if Kemi falls, and the most dynamic politician in the Conservative Party.’

It is also suggested to ‘be demonstrative (especially with the hands), slow down, use vocal range and emphasize words. It’s crucial to show passion and care – but not to be confused with shouting or talking like an AI politician – have a conversation’.

Another piece of advice is to ‘reject stupid questions and respond mostly with humor or rhetorical questions!’

He even braces for a possible question about whether Mr Farage is ‘only good for a pint’ by saying: ‘Well, Nigel’s still good for a pint!’ This is politics.’

A source close to the Conservative Party leadership said: ‘Jenrick has been radicalized by his own personal ambition and his wife. [the corporate lawyer Michal Berkner]. It’s quite surprising to see what has changed in him. It really is.

‘When we got his speech we wondered if this was a Boris kind of job’ [Mr Johnson famously wrote two different essays on the merits of both Brexit and Remain before the 2016 referendum] but it was clear we had to hit him. Kemi was incredibly calm, determined and clinical about this. But he wasn’t bothered about it.

‘He believes there is very little between them in terms of what they think. But he wants to be Prime Minister and party leader and he won the job; ‘It’s that simple.’

Former shadow Justice Secretary claims Britain is ‘broken’ in departure speech

Mr Jenrick is pictured with his wife Michal Berkner during the Conservative Party Conference in 2024. Conservative Party source claims he ‘radicalised’ former leadership hopeful

The source added: ‘Some MPs have told us that if he can get rid of Jenrick he can also get rid of some of the more egregious members of the Shadow Cabinet. And I think there’s a little bit of that.

‘But I think Nick Timothy is a very good date [as Jenrick’s replacement as Shadow Justice Secretary] Because he’s clearly one of the best new recruits.’

Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform England, said a Labor defector would ‘probably’ be announced to the party on Tuesday.

He said: ‘We are a fast car, turbocharged in eighth gear, moving forward at great speed as we prepare for the May elections.’

The party is setting a deadline for other asylum seekers on the day of local and devolved government elections on 7 May.