Dame Andrea Jenkyns has spoken of her “shock” after hearing her ex-husband and former Tory MP is now serving in the Ukrainian military. Jack Lopresti was the MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke, in South Gloucestershire, until Labour's Claire Hazelgrove secured victory in 2024.
Mr Lopresti, 55, revealed on social media last month he was now volunteering for the International Legion of Ukraine, Defence Intelligence. "It's a huge honour and an immense privilege for me to serve in the Ukrainian military and be able to help the gallant and amazing Ukrainian people in any way I can," he said.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Express, Dame Andrea, a former Tory MP who is now a member of Reform UK, said she didn’t know about her ex, and father of their seven-year-old son, entering a warzone.
“Well, we didn't know about it. He always did lots of trips across the Ukraine when he was an MP.
“One of the ladies I know, I've helped over the years with support, messaged me and said, Andrea have you seen Jack's face[on the news]? But I said, no. So we got the shock of our life actually to read that. We didn't know.”
Dame Andrea, who is standing to become Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, said she messaged Mr Lopresti.
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“I messaged him to say, stay safe. But what the heck are you doing? An 18 year old got killed on the front line.”
She added: “But that's up to him. It's his life, isn't it, really. But yeah, it was quite a shock.”
Mr Lopresti previously served in the UK Army Reserve as a corporal, and said he was focusing on charity work in the country, supporting veterans, foreign relations and diplomacy and weapons procurement - as well as military duties.
In a statement, Mr Lopresti said he had joined a cross party UK Parliamentary delegation which had visited rehab centres, charities and military leaders.