One other former Conservative MP has defected to Reform UK.
Maria Caulfield, who served because the MP for Lewes for almost a decade, in addition to a authorities minister, is the thirteenth ex-Tory to hitch Nigel Farage’s get together, which continues to assemble momentum.
The announcement of her transfer on Tuesday follows sitting MP Danny Kruger’s decision to defect yesterday and head up Reform’s work to organize for presidency.
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Ms Caulfield, a former well being minister, advised GB Information: “If you’re Conservative right-minded, then the longer term is Reform. The nation goes to alter lots.
“The identical individuals who thought that Brexit wouldn’t occur assume that Reform won’t occur. They’re in for a shock.”
She added: “I’ve joined. My husband joined a couple of months in the past and I joined a month in the past.”
Reacting to the defection, Tory chief Kemi Badenoch admitted her get together is having a “powerful and bumpy time”, however reiterated her argument that it takes time to develop insurance policies, and referred to as on the general public and her get together to be affected person.
Ms Caulfield is a former nurse, and her first ministerial job got here in 2021, when she joined the Division for Well being in Boris Johnson’s authorities.
After a spell on the backbenches throughout the temporary premiership of Liz Truss, she was introduced again into authorities below Rishi Sunak, changing into the minister liable for psychological well being and girls’s well being.
She misplaced her seat on the 2024 normal election to the Liberal Democrats, together with her vote share having plummeted by almost 22%.
‘We have to maintain our nerve’
Her announcement follows that of Danny Kruger, the MP for East Wiltshire, who introduced his transfer at a press convention alongside Nigel Farage on Monday.
He mentioned the Conservative Occasion is “over”, and Reform is now the first automobile for conservatism.
Sitting MP Danny Kruger defects to Reform UK.
However shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride mentioned his evaluation was “profoundly mistaken”.
He advised BBC Radio 4’s In the present day programme: “It’s definitely the case that we had a devastating defeat a couple of 12 months in the past, that we misplaced that reference to the citizens, that belief with the citizens, and it is usually true that it’s going to take us time to rebuild that.”
He added: “We have to maintain our nerve.”
