Andrew Rosindell is the latest Tory to defect to Reform UK
Andrew Rosindell has become the latest senior Tory MP to defect to Reform UK, just days after Kemi Badenoch said she was “100% confident” there would be no further defections from her shadow cabinet.
The former Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs has followed Robert Jenrick in jumping ship to Nigel Farage’s party, despite Badenoch’s insistence on Friday that no more senior Conservatives would switch sides.
Asked by Sky News whether she was confident that no other members of the shadow cabinet would defect, the Tory leader initially avoided a direct answer, saying the party was a “stronger and more united team” following Jenrick’s defection.
Pressed again, Badenoch said she was “100% confident” that no further shadow cabinet members would defect to Reform.
She added: “Nigel Farage is doing my spring cleaning for me, and I’m happy about that.”
Rosindell, who has been Conservative MP for Romford since 2001, announced on Sunday night that he was joining Reform UK, becoming the party’s seventh MP.
This may not come as much of a surprise. In October last year, in a huge blow to Badenoch, Rosindell said he would be willing to serve in a cabinet alongside Farage.
Among the reasons for his defection, Rosindell cited the Labour government’s decision to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and the “failure of the Conservative Party” to “actively” hold the government to account on this issue.
In his resignation statement on X, Rosindell described himself as “a loyal and committed supporter of the principles advocated by Margaret Thatcher”.
With each defection, Reform is looking more like the Conservative Party 2.0.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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