Robert Jenrick
| Robert Jenrick | |
 | |
| Born | 9 January 1982 Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England |
|---|---|
| Political party | Tory Party |
Robert Edward Jenrick (born 1982 in Wolverhampton, Staffs.) is an English politician and Member of Parliament for Newark in Nottinghamshire, having represented that constituency for the Tory Party since the 2014 Newark by-election. He is also a former Cabinet minister, serving as Minister of State for Immigration in the Sunak ministry from 2022 to 2023, Minister of State for Health during the short-lived premiership of Liz Truss in September and October 2022. He also served as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government under Boris Johnson's government from 2019 to 2021.
Jenrick was one of six candidates to stand for leadership in the 2024 Tory Party leadership election; the others being Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, Priti Patel, Mel Stride and Tom Tugendhat. Four were eliminated in a series of votes, until two remained to stand for the member's vote; Badenoch and Jenrick.
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Early life
Robert Edward Jenrick was born on 9 January 1982 in Wolverhampton in Staffordshire. He attended the private Wolverhampton Grammar School. Jenrick grew up in Ludlow in Shropshire as well as in Herefordshire.
Jenrick studied history at Cambridge University, from which he graduated in 2003.
Views
Despite Jenrick's claim to support a "small state that works", he takes several liberal positions that undermine this.
Abortion
Robert Jenrick has a generally poor track record on life issues. As of October 2024, of the 16 parliamentary votes on abortion and assisted suicide, Jenrick has voted with the pro-death/pro-abortion lobby 9 times. For example, he voted in favour of the permanent legalisation of 'DIY' home abortions in England in March 2022, and for legalising abortion in Northern Ireland up to birth for unborn children with disabilities. He also opposes the free speech of pro-life activists, as evidenced by his support for an amendment to introduce buffer zones around abortion clinics. He abstained on 5 votes and voted with the pro-life lobby on only one vote. Jenrick also voted in favour of legalising assisted suicide.[1]
European Union and ECHR
Jenrick's stance on the European Union appears to have changed throughout his parliamentary career. He supported the failed Remain campaign to keep the UK in the EU. Jenrick supports leaving the European Court of Human Rights.[2]
NATO war in Ukraine
- See also: NATO war in Ukraine
Jenrick accused independent journalist Graham Phillips of "war crimes" on the floor of Parliament for Phillips' reporting from Donbas. Phillips subsequently was sanctioned, his bank account seized, and was placed on the Ukrainian Nazi kill list.[3]
US politics
On 4 August 2024, Jenrick told GB News that, were he an American citizen, he would vote for Donald Trump over Kamala Harris in the 2024 United States presidential election.[4]
