Conservative Party suspends Jack Ross's membership over contract-killing claim

Al Jazeera says Ross claimed his remarks were not serious

BBC News reported on 24 October 2026 that the Conservative Party suspended Jack Ross’s membership with immediate effect pending an investigation after an undercover report in which Ross appeared to offer to “broker” the hiring of contract killers. A Conservative spokesman said Ross’s party membership had “been suspended with immediate effect pending an investigation.” Al Jazeera reported that Ross denied the finding “completely” and claimed everything he said to an undercover journalist was not meant seriously.

The BBC reported that Ross, a former Conservative activist, had previously worked for Conservative headquarters. The broadcaster said Ross was contracted to provide social-media work for the party until earlier this year and was paid to give that advice for a brief period, but was never a Conservative Party employee and never held a Conservative Campaign Headquarters pass.

The undercover filming was broadcast that week by Al Jazeera. The Al Jazeera report said an undercover journalist approached Ross in 2022 with a fictitious situation in which a family business was at risk of being taken over by a criminal gang. In the footage, Ross appears to offer to “broker” the services of contract killers.

Ross is alleged to have asked the undercover reporter what was needed from him and to have listed violent options that could be bought, including stabbing, shooting and killing. The BBC account attributed those details to the Al Jazeera report.

Al Jazeera said Ross denied the finding “completely” and claimed everything he said to the reporter was not meant seriously. The BBC said Turning Point UK had been approached for comment.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch referred to the claims as “shocking allegations” and said she did not “believe that person is a member anymore.”

A Reuters image caption said Ross had held the post of Chief Operations Officer at Turning Point UK, which the caption described as an offshoot of the US organisation. In its body text, the BBC said Ross met Badenoch on several occasions in his role as chief executive of Turning Point UK, which it described as an offshoot of a right-wing American organisation. The BBC also said Ross had met several other right-wing politicians, including former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader.

The BBC reported that Ross had previously worked for Conservative headquarters. It said Ross was contracted for social-media work until earlier this year and was paid to give that advice for a brief period, but was never a Conservative Party employee and never held a Conservative Campaign Headquarters pass. The account also placed him in meetings with Badenoch in his role as chief executive of Turning Point UK and with other politicians. His membership was suspended while the investigation remained pending, and Ross denied the allegation.