So. Farewell then Robert Jenrick. The most popular member of the shadow cabinet (according to ConservativeHome at least) was this morning axed from the top team. Kemi Badenoch claims that she has been handed ‘clear irrefutable evidence’ that he was about to switch sides, ahead of a Reform press conference later today. There is still no word from the man in question just yet…

One person who certainly was happy to comment was Kevin Hollinrake, the Yorkshire terrier of 4 Matthew Parker Street. The Tory chairman delighted in sticking the boot in to Jenrick on the BBC’s flagship Politics Live show this lunchtime, declaring that the now-ex Shadow Justice Secretary ‘did not take losing the leadership contest very well.’ Hollinrake said:

This was treacherous, this was disloyal and Kemi took the right course of action. It’s fair to say Rob didn’t take losing the leadership contest very well, so I think it’s been difficult at times with Rob trying to get it on side. This was possibly the case this was going to come to a head and it has. But we didn’t expect this, we didn’t want this but having seen what we’ve seen it was the only course of action for Kemi to take. She’s done exactly the right thing.

Time will tell eh?

Watch James Heale and Tim Shipman discuss Jenrick’s sacking on Spectator TV: