Robert Jenrick Appointed Shadow Justice Secretary in Kemi Badenoch’s Senior Team

Robert Jenrick has agreed to serve as shadow justice secretary within Kemi Badenoch’s senior leadership group, according to information obtained by the BBC. The recently appointed Conservative leader is additionally anticipated to designate Dame Priti Patel as her shadow foreign secretary and Mel Stride as her shadow chancellor. Dame Priti, Stride, and Jenrick had all competed against Badenoch during the Conservative leadership contest, where Badenoch ultimately defeated Jenrick in the concluding round. Through these appointments, which include both former contenders and individuals representing various factions of the party, Badenoch likely aims to foster unity among the Conservatives following a challenging election loss. Nonetheless, discussions occurred regarding which position, if any, Jenrick would accept. During these talks, a Conservative source, who was not closely associated with the leadership, informed the BBC: “Kemi just doesn’t like Rob. She thinks his whole schtick about her and whether she has any policies has done her lasting damage with the right and with Reform voters.” The source added, “This is only likely to further unravel.” The two individuals had disagreements in the concluding weeks of the leadership campaign. Jenrick had accused Badenoch of showing “disrespect” to Conservative members by not outlining specific policies. Badenoch, in response, stated she would not have employed that particular term and, in defense of her strategy, affirmed she would not make a pledge “unless I know how I am going to deliver it”. Despite their prior disagreements, the two candidates exchanged cordial remarks after the contest concluded. During her victory address on Saturday, Badenoch commended Jenrick’s “energy and determination,” stating further: “You and I know that we don’t actually disagree on very much, and I have no doubt that you have a key role to play in our party for many years to come.” Jenrick, for his part, congratulated his rival on her success and called upon Conservatives to rally behind the new leader. On Monday, an associate of Jenrick’s commented: “Rob thinks the party needs to come together and take the fight to Labour. “Unity could not be more important. He’s eager to expose Labour’s dreadful record on law and order.” A formal declaration of Badenoch’s complete shadow cabinet is anticipated prior to its inaugural meeting scheduled for Tuesday. Laura Trott, formerly Chief Secretary to the Treasury, has been assigned the position of shadow education secretary, while Neil O’Brien has been named shadow education minister. Both Trott and O’Brien have already made appearances in their new capacities in the House of Commons during Education Questions. Nigel Huddleston and Lord Dominic Johnson have also been designated as joint chairmen of the Conservative party, according to BBC information. This development comes after the selection of Castle Point MP Dame Rebecca Harris as the Conservative chief whip on Sunday evening. Dame Priti, the newly appointed shadow foreign secretary, has represented the Essex constituency of Witham since 2010 and held positions in various government departments during the Conservative administration. She was compelled to step down as international development secretary in 2017 due to unauthorized meetings with Israeli officials, but Boris Johnson subsequently reinstated her to government, appointing her to the significant role of home secretary. While at the Home Office, she initiated the Rwanda policy, designed to discourage individuals from crossing the English Channel in small vessels by relocating them to the East African nation; however, this policy was later abolished by the new Labour government. As a notable proponent of Brexit, she is considered to be aligned with the right wing of the party. Stride, conversely, is perceived as leaning more towards the left. Similar to Dame Priti, he entered Parliament in 2010, securing the Central Devon constituency, and has held roles in multiple government departments. As a close associate of Rishi Sunak, he was appointed work and pensions secretary and was relied upon for numerous media engagements during the general election. On Sunday, Badenoch informed the BBC that she believed taxes had been excessively high during Sunak’s tenure, yet she has now granted one of his most notable supporters the highly coveted position of shadow chancellor. Laura Trott, the recently appointed shadow education secretary, has served as MP for Sevenoaks in Kent since 2019 and held the second-highest position in the Treasury under Jeremy Hunt during his chancellorship. Neil O’Brien has been MP for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston since 2017 and most recently held a position as a health minister. He stepped down from Sunak’s government in November 2023 and subsequently adopted a more critical perspective on the then-prime minister from the backbenches. While Trott and Huddleston endorsed Badenoch in the leadership contest, O’Brien had backed her competitor, Jenrick. The incumbent Labour government maintains 120 ministers, which suggests the Conservatives might face challenges in shadowing every governmental role, considering they possess only 121 Members of Parliament. James Cleverly, a former Home Secretary and unsuccessful leadership contender, last week stated he would not serve in the shadow cabinet, informing the FT that he felt “liberated” after 16 years on the political front line and was now “not particularly in the mood to be boxed back into a narrow band again”. Former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, former Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, former Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell, and former Environment Secretary Steve Barclay have also indicated their intention to return to the backbenches rather than serve in the new shadow cabinet. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.