In a surprising move, Andrew Rosindell, the former Conservative MP for Romford, has resigned from the party and defected to the Reform UK political group. Rosindell, who had been a member of the Conservative Party since the age of 14 and previously served as a shadow minister, cited the party’s “irreparable” mistakes and unwillingness to take “meaningful accountability” for past decisions as the primary reasons for his departure.
Speaking to the media, Rosindell expressed his view that the country has endured “a generation of managed decline” and that “radical action is now required to reverse the damaging decisions of the past and to forge a new course for Britain.” He specifically pointed to the Labour government’s decision to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius as an issue the Conservatives had failed to adequately address, both in government and in opposition.
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, welcomed Rosindell’s defection, describing him as “a great patriot” who “will be a great addition to our team.” Farage claimed that the Conservatives’ “lies and hypocrisy over the Chagos Islands betrayal has tipped him over the edge.”
However, the move has not been without controversy. A Conservative source described Rosindell’s departure as a prime example of Farage doing Kemi Badenoch’s “spring cleaning,” suggesting that the party is not overly concerned by his decision to join Reform UK. Badenoch herself called it a “good day” for the Conservatives, stating that Rosindell is “now Nigel Farage’s problem.”
The Labour Party chair, Anna Turley, was more critical, accusing Reform UK of attempting to “rehabilitate their disastrous record” and claiming that the public “won’t be fooled: the Tories failed Britain and Reform want to do it all over again.”
Rosindell’s defection comes just hours after former Conservative MP Robert Jenrick joined Reform UK, citing the party’s failure to “hold the government to account” and the country’s “decline.” With Rosindell becoming Reform UK’s seventh MP and the third sitting Conservative MP to join the party, the political landscape in the UK continues to evolve, raising questions about the future of the Conservative Party and the potential impact of the Reform UK movement.
