‘You’ve missold yourself now in effect in a post-hoc fashion. You’ve sold yourself as Danny Kruger Tory, you’re now Danny Kruger the Reform guy.’
Ex-Tory MP Danny Kruger was grilled this morning over his refusal to call a by-election after joining Reform.
On Times Radio, presenter Stig Abell told Kruger that “the common sense thing to do” would be to call a by-election after he became a Reform MP last month.
Abell said: “You were elected by your constituents as a Tory, you espoused Tory policies, you’re now a member of Reform. The common sense thing to do is to call a by-election and give your constituents the chance to vote you in as a Reform MP or not.”
Kruger said that people vote for a candidate.
“Every time people change party or break allegiance to their leader, which happens all the time, you can’t have by-elections,” he said.
Abell challenged Kruger again: “You support a different set of policies in Parliament, that’s the point. When you were a Tory you supported a set of policies as set out by a Conservative government that you now think is useless.”
The East Wiltshire MP said: “No I was very critical of the Tory government when I was in the Tory party and actually all Tories were elected on a manifesto which they’re now renouncing. We were all elected under Rishi Sunak.”
The presenter continued to question Kruger about a by-election: “Do you think you’d win Danny Kruger?
“If you went to your constituency ‘it’s still me, the same old lovable Danny Kruger you voted for last time but now I’m waving the Reform flag’.”
Kruger said: “The polls suggest I would.”
“So give it a go, show some confidence. Have the courage of your convictions Danny and do it,” Abell responded.
The Reform MP said: “Do you really want a by-election for every time there’s a defection?”.
“Yes, thinking about it intellectually, I absolutely do,” Abell said.
The presenter said switching parties is not the same as a politician changing their stance on a manifesto.
He said: “You’ve missold now yourself in effect in a post-hoc fashion. You’ve sold yourself as Danny Kruger Tory, you’re now Danny Kruger the Reform guy who thinks the Tories are a load of chancers.”
Kruger then claimed he would agree with there being an by-election for an MP who had switched from government to opposition, or vice versa, but argued he’d just switched “a few seats to the side”.
“Take a risk Danny Kruger, have a go,” Abell urged again.
Kruger said he wouldn’t put his constituents through a by-election, claiming it would be “pointless”.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
Left Foot Forward doesn’t have the backing of big business or billionaires. We rely on the kind and generous support of ordinary people like you.
You can support hard-hitting journalism that holds the right to account, provides a forum for debate among progressives, and covers the stories the rest of the media ignore. Donate today.
