Another Tory MP has defected to Reform in a blow to Kemi Badenoch.
Andrew Rosindell, who has been MP for Romford for almost 25 years and was Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, blamed the Conservatives’ stance on Chagos for his decision.
He had been a Tory party member since he was 14 and becomes the third senior figure to cross over to Reform UK in the space of a week, following former Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick.
His move came just two days after opposition leader Mrs Badenoch declared she was ‘100 per cent confident’ that no other members of her Shadow Cabinet would switch sides.
Reform UK’s leader Nigel Farage said: ‘Andrew is a great patriot. The Tories’ lies and hypocrisy over the Chagos Islands betrayal has tipped him over the edge, and we are delighted to welcome him to our ranks.
‘He will be a great addition to our team ahead of the elections on May 7th.’
Mr Rosindell announced his defection on the social media platform X.
He said: ‘This evening, with sorrow, I have decided to resign from my position as an Opposition Shadow Minister and as a member of the Conservative & Unionist Party.
Conservative Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Andrew Rosindell (pictured) has defected to Reform UK
Nigel Farage welcomed Robert Jenrick into the fold on Thursday, hours after he had been summarily sacked by Kemi Badenoch for plotting a betrayal
On Mr Rosindell’s defection, Farage said today: ‘Andrew is a great patriot. The Tories’ lies and hypocrisy over the Chagos Islands betrayal has tipped him over the edge, and we are delighted to welcome him to our ranks’
‘Since joining the Conservative Party at the age of 14, I have been a loyal and committed supporter of the principles advocated by Margaret Thatcher that have always underpinned my own political beliefs.
‘However, the time has come to put country before party.’
He said the failure of the Tories both in government and opposition over the Chagos Islands – the British territory in the Indian Ocean now being handed to Mauritius – was a ‘clear red line’.
‘Both the government and the opposition have been complicit in the surrender of this sovereign British territory to a foreign power.
‘This was made abundantly clear by the failure of Conservative peers to vote down the British Indian Ocean Territory Bill at third reading earlier this month, following direction from the top of the party.’ Mr Rosindell added.
The defection will renew claims that Reform – which at the weekend set a May deadline for defections – is now home to too many former Tories and so will not be seen as a radical new movement by voters at the next general election.
Earlier this week Ms Badenoch claimed her party was stronger and more united after she dramatically sacked her leadership rival, Mr Jenrick, having discovered he was planning to defect, and thanked Nigel Farage for doing her ‘spring cleaning’.
She also insisted she would never do a deal with Reform UK despite growing pleas for the two parties to work together so they can together defeat Labour at the next election.
Former Tory chancellor Nadhim Zahawi was all smiles as he posed alongside Nigel Farage, despite having once branded his vision for Britain as ‘frightening’
Mr Jenrick claimed he was in fact uniting the Right by changing allegiance and denied his move was motivated by personal ambition.
But he was warned by Tory grandee Lord Michael Gove that he too may now become best known for his treachery while Reform risks becoming the ‘Slytherin House’ of British politics.
In a round of interviews on Friday as the fallout continued from Thursday’s dramatic events, Ms Badenoch said: ‘I’m thrilled because Nigel Farage is doing my spring cleaning for me. The problems are leaving the Conservative party and going to Reform.’
Responding to Mr Rosindell’s defection today, Mr Jenrick wrote on X: ‘Welcome @AndrewRosindell.
‘A great champion of Romford, a true patriot and now Reform MP!’
Yesterday, the Mail on Sunday revealed Mr Jenrick’s surreal defection notes – in which he was styled as the ‘new sheriff in town’.
The plan also described him as ‘the most popular Tory Shadow Cabinet member, leader-in-waiting if Kemi ever falls and the most dynamic politician in the Conservative Party’, while notes scrawled on it in what appeared to be Mr Jenrick’s handwriting included lines about Mr Farage such as: ‘Only person in British politics [to have] been consistent. Obviously right person to lead the charge.’
The notes, along with a draft of Mr Jenrick’s resignation speech, were obtained by a mole in the MP’s office and sent to Ms Badenoch before he could make his dramatic move, prompting her to sack him and kick him out of the party on Thursday.
Mr Jenrick was bounced into formally defecting at a joint press conference with Mr Farage later that day, just three days after former Tory Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi had also switched to Reform.
Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch speaks to the media during her trip to Scotland on Friday
Ex-Tory Robert Jenrick arriving at Reform UK’s headquarters in London on Friday. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch sarcastically thanked Nigel Farage for doing her ‘spring cleaning’ following Mr Jenrick’s defection to Reform UK
A significant Labour figure joining Reform would cause more damage to Keir Starmer (pictured)
In a move that took Westminster by surprise, Mr Zahawi announced that Britain needed Nigel Farage as Prime Minister.
He insisted that only Mr Farage had what it takes to run the country, saying of Tory leader Kemi Badenoch: ‘She’s got the baggage of what I think is a defunct brand, a brand that the nation has decided they can no longer trust.’
Meanwhile Deputy Reform leader Richard Tice has revealed a Labour defector to the party will be unveiled ‘probably on Tuesday’.
On Saturday, Mr Tice said: ‘You’ll see an interesting surprise I think early next week from the other side of the political spectrum.’
He would not comment on whether the ‘figure’ is an MP, councillor or former politician.
Labour heads are sure to be swimming with fears over who the defector could be, although Chancellor Rachel Reeves looked to play matters down on a visit to County Durham on Friday.
‘Nigel Farage says a lot of things and I think we should all take those with a pinch of salt,’ she said.
This evening, former Labour MP Kate Hoey congratulated Mr Rosindell on his defection.
She said: ‘Simply the best defector yet.
‘Andrew is someone who stands up for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and all our overseas territories.
‘A true Brexiteer and someone who will bring his knowledge of Parliamentary procedures and campaigning to Reform UK.
‘Will be interesting to see if Conservative HQ try to demonise him. Will be difficult for them!’
Lee Anderson, Reform MP, added: ‘And then there were seven.’
On Wednesday Reform UK announced 20 new councillors in England as Mr Farage welcomed a fresh batch of defectors from other parties.
In a strengthening of its presence in local government, the party unveiled new recruits across a string of councils.
They included an ex-BBC reporter, a former Iraqi hostage, and even one councillor who had made the surprising switch from Zack Polanski’s left-wing Green Party.
The defectors announced on Wednesday came across Reading, Sevenoaks, Thanet, Horsham, Bolsover, St Helens, Havant, Somerset, Stoke-on-Trent and West Suffolk councils.
They comprised 14 former Conservatives, five independents and one Green.
Mr Tice said: ‘I’m thrilled to welcome 20 new councillors from across the political spectrum into Reform UK.
‘We have all the momentum in British politics and increasingly people are turning to us as the last, best hope to save this country.’
