Nigel Farage, the leader of the Reform UK party, has made it clear that his party is not a “rescue charity” for panicked Conservative MPs. This comes as former senior Tory MP Robert Jenrick has defected to Reform UK, joining around 20 other ex-Conservative lawmakers who have done the same in recent months.
Farage wrote in the Telegraph that any potential defectors would have to be prepared to publicly admit that the previous Conservative government “broke the country.” He also stated that Reform UK will not accept any more defectors after the local elections on 7 May, warning that “Trying to use Reform as a lifeboat to save their own political skins will not wash.”
Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform UK, has described Jenrick as a “great new asset” who brings ministerial experience to the party. However, critics have argued that Reform UK is becoming a home for failed Tories rather than a new force in British politics.
Jenrick’s defection is seen as a significant move, with some suggesting it could prompt power struggles within Reform UK. There are rumours that a “well-known Labour figure” will also defect to the party next week, with Baroness Kate Hoey, a former Labour MP and Brexit campaigner, among those rumoured to be a possible defector.
While some senior Conservatives believe other MPs could also defect, they are not expecting a large wave of departures in the immediate future. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has claimed that her party is stronger and more united since Jenrick left, saying he was not “a team player.”
The influx of Tory defectors to Reform UK has raised questions about the party’s direction and whether it is becoming a haven for disgruntled former Conservatives or a genuine new force in British politics. Farage’s warning against using the party as a “rescue charity” suggests he is keen to maintain Reform UK’s distinct identity and not simply become a vehicle for disaffected Tories.