Danny Kruger has become the first sitting Conservative MP to defect to Reform, declaring that Nigel Farage’s party bears the “new torch of conservatism”.
The MP for East Wiltshire announced on Monday he would cross the floor to Reform and work with Zia Yusuf, a senior member of Mr Farage’s team, on preparing the party for government.
The defection of a frontbencher, who was responsible for welfare policy, is a major blow to Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader.
Mr Kruger said he was fond of many Tory MPs, but that the “failure of the Conservative Party has created space for an alternative”.
He said: “The flame is passing from one torch to another. The old torch, once so great, is guttering, fluttering, held weakly in uncertain hands, but the new torch is already alight, already brighter than the one it is replacing, held aloft in firm and confident hands.”
