First Tory MP jumps ship
Conservative MP Danny Kruger has defected to Reform UK, becoming the first sitting Tory to join Nigel Farage’s party.
The East Wiltshire MP declared that the “flame of conservatism” had passed to Reform, a move seen as a major blow to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch.
Kruger, who will serve as Reform’s head of “preparing for government”, told reporters in London that the Conservatives were “over” as a national party. His defection brings Reform’s parliamentary tally to five MPs.
Farage gains momentum
With Reform polling at 27 per cent – ahead of both Labour and the Conservatives – Kruger’s switch strengthens the populist party’s credibility. Farage welcomed him but declined to call a by-election in East Wiltshire, saying voters disliked unnecessary contests.
Other former Tory figures, including Dame Andrea Jenkyns, Nadine Dorries and Lee Anderson, have already joined Reform. Badenoch, however, insisted she would not be “blown off course”, acknowledging that rebuilding trust with voters would take time.
Party rivalry intensifies
Labour remains under pressure, polling around 21 per cent, but Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has described Reform as the “real opposition”. The Conservatives, trailing on 17 per cent, now fear more MPs and donors could follow Kruger’s lead.
Meanwhile, Farage has sought to distance Reform from violent far-right protests in London at the weekend, though he stopped short of condemning those who took part. The balance between broadening Reform’s support and avoiding being seen as a Tory rebrand is now a central challenge for his party.
