In a dramatic turn of events, the Conservative Party has placed 11 of its Members of Parliament on a defection watch list, amid growing concerns that more could follow in the footsteps of former Tory minister Robert Jenrick, who dramatically defected to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party on Thursday.
The list, which was seen by The Update Desk, includes a mix of former ministers and veteran MPs, such as Suella Braverman, Sir John Hayes, Mark Francois, Esther McVey, and Sir Desmond Swayne. Additionally, the list includes MPs from the 2024 intake, including Katie Lam, Bradley Thomas, and Lewis Cocking, as well as shadow ministers Matt Vickers and Joy Morrisey.
The Conservative leadership, led by Kemi Badenoch, has been left reeling by Jenrick’s defection, which the party leader has branded as an act of “treachery” and “lies.” Badenoch has accused Jenrick of wanting to “burn the Conservative Party to the ground,” suggesting that his decision to join Reform UK was driven by personal ambition rather than a genuine ideological shift.
The party is now in a “fight for its survival,” according to one senior figure, with the fear that if these 11 MPs all defect by the local elections on 7 May, it could be “game over” for the Conservatives. Badenoch has insisted that the party’s stability will be restored by Jenrick’s departure, but there are concerns that Farage’s call for others to join Reform UK could trigger a further exodus.
While the majority of the MPs named on the watch list have denied any plans to defect, one Tory insider warned that “Jenrick showed us that people deny they are defecting until they actually defect.” The party leadership’s “panic” is evident, with one MP suggesting that Badenoch is “trying to force the right of the party out to join Reform.”
The Conservative Party’s woes come as it faces a growing challenge from the Reform UK party, which has already seen a number of high-profile defections, including former Tory ministers Nadhim Zahawi, Dame Andrea Jenkyns, Jonathan Gullis, and Nadine Dorries.
As the political landscape continues to shift, the coming weeks and months will be crucial for the Conservatives as they battle to retain their grip on power and prevent further defections to Farage’s insurgent party.
