More former Tory ministers will be joining Reform UK following the defection of Nadine Dorries, according to Nigel Farage.
The Reform leader admitted his party’s ‘biggest weakness’ is that it lacks ‘experience at government level’.
But he said further defections to his party’s ranks – similar to that of Ms Dorries’, the ex-Conservative culture secretary – would continue to boost Reform’s preparedness for power.
Ms Dorries, who served in Boris Johnson’s government, joined Mr Farage on stage at Reform’s conference in Birmingham on Friday after declaring ‘the Tory party is dead’.
She issued a rallying call for Conservative members to ‘do the right thing’ and copy her by switching to Reform.
Adam Holloway, Sir Jake Berry, Andrea Jenkyns, Marco Longhi, Ross Thomson, David Jones and Lee Anderson are other ex–Conservative MPs who have joined Reform.
Meanwhile, former Tory business secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has offered to advise Mr Farage and Reform if they win the next general election.
But, despite making an appearance at Reform’s conference this weekend, he insisted he would not be defecting – even though his teenage daughter Mary has joined the party.
More former Tory ministers will be joining Reform UK following the defection of Nadine Dorries , according to Nigel Farage
Ms Dorries, who served in Boris Johnson ‘s government, joined Mr Farage on stage at Reform’s conference in Birmingham on Friday after declaring ‘the Tory party is dead’.
Despite making an appearance at Reform’s conference this weekend, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg insisted he would not be defecting – even though his daughter Mary has joined the party
Speaking to the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg show, Mr Farage said Ms Dorries’ defection to Reform ‘brings us the one commodity we’re very short of and that’s experience at government level’.
‘That is our biggest weakness,’ he added. ‘You could ask me lots of questions about policy and personnel and all the rest of it.
‘But if you ask me, how are you going to do this? I can’t really give you an answer, because I haven’t got anybody in the senior team that’s ever been there before.
‘Nadine came yesterday. She’s the first, and there will be others.’
Asked why he felt able to brand Labour ministers ‘not fit to govern’ while admitting Reform lacks experience of being in power, Mr Farage replied: ‘As of yesterday, I started to get more qualified to do it and that process will continue.’
Pressed on whether that meant more former ministers would be joining Reform, he added: ‘Oh, yes.’
But Mr Farage played down the chances of Mr Johnson ever joining Reform despite Ms Dorries urging the two men to join forces to bring down Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Government.
‘Oh I don’t think that would really work, somehow’, Mr Farage said.
‘Oh, I think that the Boris wave, and I like him personally, I always have done, he’s a very entertaining bloke, but I think that the Boris wave was felt by millions of people.
‘Millions of people allowed, being allowed into Britain, most of whom, by the way, don’t even work, and are costing us a fortune. That’s something for which this audience will never, ever forgive him.’
The term ‘Boris wave’ is used by Reform figures to describe the surge in legal immigration following post-Brexit visa policies introduced under Mr Johnson from January 2021.
Mr Rees-Mogg was seen being mobbed for ‘selfies’ by Reform members at the party’s conference on Saturday.
He was also urged to abandon his support for the Conservatives and switch to Mr Farage’s outfit.
But Sir Jacob disappointed attendees when he spoke at a fringe event to declare he was ‘going to remain a Tory’, despite recent speculation he was on ‘defection watch’ .
The father-of-six admitted he was ‘having his arm twisted’ by his daughter, who he was ’embarrassed’ to say had joined Reform.
‘Mary has joined Reform… but I’m not going to,’ said the ex-Cabinet minister, who is also a parent to Peter, Thomas, Anselm, Alfred and Sixtus.
‘I’m going to remain a Tory because I think it is fundamental that we bring the family of the Right together.’
Sir Jacob added the ‘family of the Right’ needed to unite under Britain’s first-past-the-post electoral system in order to win a majority.
But, speaking to The Telegraph, Sir Jacob said he was willing to offer advice to Mr Farage on governing if Reform wins the next general election.
‘In my experience, the civil service can be obstructive,’ he said.
‘But it’s normally obstructive because of the Human Rights Act, the Equality Act, the European Convention on Human Rights and the Refugee Convention, [and] the Climate Change Act.
‘Things Parliament has passed into law, which they then say, ‘Oh, minister, you can’t do that’.
‘That’s what needs to be done, the legislation needs to be repealed to stop civil servants being able to say, ‘Minister, you can’t do that’.’
Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said an alliance with Reform is ‘not going to happen’.
Asked if the prospect of an alliance between Mr Farage and Mr Johnson sends a chill down his spine, he told Sky News: ‘Not at all, not at all. That’s not going to happen.
‘And, you know, I am always interested in what Nadine has to say. But I don’t agree with many things she says. I don’t agree with that either.
‘Of course, listen, Nigel Farage and Reform is a very good razzmatazz. Interesting to see all that happening on stage.
‘Well, that’s a couple of days, but the reality is there was no mention, no mention whatsoever, how they’re going to fill their own £140 billion-a-year black hole and put that in context… there’s already a deficit in the country because of Labour’s actions.
‘But £130 billion-a-year. So you’re talking about spending commitments, nearly £300 billion-a-year more than we’re collecting in taxes. This is simply impossible.’
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: ‘The biggest problem facing our country is that the economy is in crisis and Nigel Farage will only make it worse.
‘He wants to increase benefits. We’re the only party talking about living within our means, and that’s quite important.
‘What I’m doing is turning the Conservative Party into the traditional, authentic Conservativism that people recognise, and that’s going to mean taking some tough decisions.
‘I’m afraid if people don’t like it, then they are welcome to leave.’
Anna Turley, the new Labour Party chairwoman, said: ‘Nigel Farage has no plan for Britain.
‘Now he’s admitted he doesn’t have confidence that his team is capable of delivering a plan if he did have one.
‘Don’t know answers won’t solve the problems the country faces. And putting yourself forwards for high office while admitting your team aren’t fit to govern isn’t patriotism, it’s egotism. Britain deserves better.’
