Senior Tories Braverman, Frost Spark Reform UK Defection Speculation

Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, continues to attract defections and potential defections from prominent Conservative figures, signaling a shift in the UK political landscape. Recent high-profile defections include former culture secretary Nadine Dorries, with others such as Dame Andrea Jenkyns, Sir Jake Berry, and David Jones also joining the party. Speculation surrounds senior Tories former home secretary Suella Braverman and ex-Brexit negotiator Lord Frost, who are set to appear alongside Reform deputy leader Richard Tice at a press conference to launch a paper on Britain leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Both Braverman and Frost have not ruled out defecting to Reform UK, expressing dissatisfaction with the Conservative Party’s current direction and electoral performance. Meanwhile, some within Reform UK, like Jim O’Neill, express concern that the party is becoming a repository for Conservative “rejects,” indicating internal tensions about the party’s evolving identity. Nigel Farage acknowledged Reform UK’s lack of government experience but remains optimistic about further defections from former Conservative ministers bolstering the party’s ranks.