Robert Jenrick sacked and suspended by Kemi Badenoch over ‘secret plot to defect’

However, Mrs Badenoch confirmed the Newark MP had been sacked, suspended and stripped of his Tory Party membership.

The Tory leader said: “I have sacked Robert Jenrick from the Shadow Cabinet, removed the whip and suspended his party membership with immediate effect.

"I was presented with clear, irrefutable evidence that he was plotting in secret to defect in a way designed to be as damaging as possible to his Shadow Cabinet colleagues and the wider Conservative Party.

"The British public are tired of political psychodrama and so am I.

"They saw too much of it in the last Government, they’re seeing too much of it in this Government. I will not repeat those mistakes."

CCHQ appeared spooked by Mr Farage and Mr Jenrick going for dinner together last month.

Mr Jenrick's team was also said to have left a copy of his "near final" resignation speech "lying around" and supposedly cancelled speaking engagements scheduled for this weekend.

Reform insiders had become increasingly confident about pulling off a major defection coup.

Responding to Mr Jenrick's suspension, Mr Farage said: "I think virtually everybody is considering leaving the Conservative Party, yes.

"I think that's been in his mind, yes. I have little doubt that it's been in his mind."

Mr Farage, who unveiled ex-Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi as his 22nd Tory defector on Monday, suggested he would speak to Mr Jenrick again on what "the future might look like".

He continued: “I’ll give him a ring this afternoon. I might even buy him a pint."

Mrs Badenoch did not speak to Mr Jenrick ahead of his sacking, GB News understands.

The Newark MP was instead informed of the decision by Chief Whip Rebecca Harris, with Mr Jenrick being said to have initially denied claims he was jumping ship.

Tory sources told GB News that Mr Jenrick later "slammed the phone down".

An insider also told The People's Channel that the Leader of the Opposition's Office is now in possession of "pieces of evidence that confirm Jenrick planned to defect to Reform and attack individual Conservative MPs".

Speaking to GB News this afternoon, Tory Party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake added: "This information came from Rob Jenrick's own inner circle.

"There was no two ways about it, this evidence was treacherous and damning."

Mr Jenrick is yet to break his silence on his next step, with some expecting him to formally join Reform UK.

However, a Tory source joked: “Robert Jenrick is Nigel Farage’s problem now. The leadership battle in Reform has just stepped up."

Despite heaping praise on the former Shadow Justice Secretary, Mr Farage had previously labelled Mr Jenrick a "fraud" and suggested he was a tribute act.

Meanwhile, Mr Jenrick once said: "I don't think Nigel is the bloke you want to have running your kids' schools or running your local hospital."