{"id":2553108,"date":"2026-01-26T18:39:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T23:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/reform-uk-pulls-off-biggest-conservative-defection-yet\/"},"modified":"2026-01-26T18:42:22","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T23:42:22","slug":"reform-uk-pulls-off-biggest-conservative-defection-yet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/reform-uk-pulls-off-biggest-conservative-defection-yet\/","title":{"rendered":"Reform UK pulls off biggest Conservative defection yet"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Freform-uk-pulls-off-biggest-conservative-defection-yet%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2553108&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Former home secretary Suella Braverman has defected from the Conservative Party to Reform UK, announcing at a London Veterans for Reform rally that she will sit as Reform\u2019s MP for Fareham and Waterlooville. Speaking alongside Reform leader Nigel Farage, she accused the Conservatives of having \u201cutterly failed\u201d the british peopel and rejected any future pact with her former party. Farage hailed her as the most <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >high-profile recent defection<\/a> following others such as Andrew Rosindell and Robert Jenrick. The Conservatives criticized and briefly released\u2014and then deleted\u2014a statement implying concerns about her mental health, which Braverman dismissed as \u201cpathetic.\u201d Reform currently leads in polls with about 29% support versus 18% for the Conservatives and roughly 18% for Labour, raising questions about electoral alliances on the left to block a Reform surge. Farage has set a May 7 deadline for othre Conservative MPs considering switching to Reform.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Conservative Party defections to Reform UK continue with former home secretary<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2478880\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Reform U.K., the rising right-wing populist political party threatening to eclipse the Conservatives in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/united-kingdom\/\">British politics<\/a>, has just scored its biggest defection yet.<\/p>\n<p>Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman appeared alongside Reform leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/nigel-farage\/\">Nigel Farage<\/a> at a Veterans for Reform rally in London on Monday, where she condemned her former party, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/conservatives\">the Conservatives<\/a>, as having &ldquo;utterly failed to do the right thing for the British people.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4433339\/top-chinese-general-purged-military-accusations-betraying-xi-jinping\/\">Top Chinese general purged from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-taking-regeneron-drug-remdesivir-therapy-for-coronavirus-diagnosis-ex-wh-doctor-explains\/\" title=\"Trump taking Regeneron drug, Remdesivir therapy for coronavirus diagnosis: ex-WH doctor explains\">military<\/a> on accusations of betraying Xi Jinping<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4433164\/eu-investigation-elon-musk-grok-sexualized-deepfakes\/\">EU opens investigation into Elon Musk over Grok&#8217;s sexualized deepfakes<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4433220\/idf-announces-final-hostage-ran-gvili-remains-recovered-gaza\/\">Israeli military announces final hostage remains recovered from Gaza<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;Because I believe with my heart and soul that a better future is possible for us, I am joining Reform U.K., and I will sit as the member of parliament for Fareham and Waterlooville, representing this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/peace-peace-i-hate-the-word-elon-musk-slams-useless-pacifist-virtue-signaling\/\" title=\"\u2018Peace. Peace? I Hate The Word\u2019: Elon Musk Slams Useless Pacifist Virtue Signaling\">great party<\/a>, Reform U.K., with immediate effect,&rdquo; Braverman told the audience.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">British Reform U.K. leader Nigel Farage, right, and former British home secretary Suella Braverman speaking during a Reform UK press conference in Westminster, central London, Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. (Stefan Rousseau\/PA via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;Britain is indeed broken,&rdquo; she told supporters. &ldquo;We can either continue down this route of managed decline to weakness and surrender, or we can fix our country.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Braverman has long been perceived as further right-wing than the rest of the Conservative Party, particularly on <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3811297\/uk-government-courts-block-deportation-illegal-migrants\/\">issues such as immigration<\/a>. She characterized her decision to leave the party, among the oldest political parties in the world, as a painful but necessary action to better serve the country.<\/p>\n<p>Farage welcomed her as the latest and most high-profile Conservative to join his burgeoning movement, following on the heels of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.standard.co.uk\/news\/politics\/reform-uk-defection-who-defected-andrew-rosindell-nigel-farage-robert-jenrick-b1266772.html\">other recent turncoats<\/a>, such as Andrew Rosindell and Robert Jenrick.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;She&rsquo;s obviously thought long and hard about it, but, like many Tory MPs, she&rsquo;s come to the conclusion that the Conservatives are disintegrating,&rdquo; Farage told the Financial Times after stepping offstage at the event.<\/p>\n<p>The Conservatives, currently led by Kemi Badenoch, slammed Braverman following her defection, characterizing her as an inevitable turncoat and questioning her mental faculties.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It was always a matter of when, not if, Suella would defect,&rdquo; the party said in a statement. &ldquo;The Conservatives did all we could to look after Suella&rsquo;s mental health, but she was clearly very unhappy.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>That bellicose message was later deleted and replaced with a statement lacking the comments about &ldquo;mental health,&rdquo; with the Conservatives claiming those comments had been part of a &ldquo;draft&rdquo; that was &ldquo;sent out in error.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch speaks to the media during a visit to the 3T Training Services in Aberdeen, Scotland, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (Jane Barlow\/PA via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Braverman brushed off the comments as &ldquo;pathetic&rdquo; while Farage called it &ldquo;the last thrashings of a dying political animal.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>British parliamentary elections are not due to take place until 2029, but that has not stopped Reform and Conservatives from ginning up support early as the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/labour-party\/\">Labour government<\/a> continues to hemorrhage support under Prime Minister <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/keir-starmer\/\">Keir Starmer<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Reform is currently <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/europe-poll-of-polls\/united-kingdom\/\">polling far ahead<\/a> of its competition with 29% support compared to the Conservatives&rsquo; 18%. Labor also sits at approximately 18% with the Greens trailing at 14% and the Lib Dems coming just behind at 13%.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4425162\/johnson-stresses-friendship-with-uk-address-parliament\/\">JOHNSON STRESSES FRIENDSHIP WITH UK IN ADDRESS TO PARLIAMENT AS TRUMP LAMBASTES STARMER&rsquo;S CHAGOS ISLAND DEAL<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Some fears exist among the British right that Reform&rsquo;s success could still be squashed by an alliance of Labour, the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/green-party\/\">Green Party<\/a>, the Lib Dems, and a confederation of minor parties if a pact is not struck with the Conservatives, assuring a unified right<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/take-five-intervention-watch-is-here\/\" title=\"Take Five: Intervention watch is here\">-wing bloc<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Braverman shot down the idea of allying with her former party in an <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/news\/2026\/01\/26\/suella-braverman-exclusive-interview-reform-conservatives\/\">interview with the <em>Telegraph<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;No pact,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t need them. We&rsquo;re going to win the next election and save this country. I don&rsquo;t trust the Conservatives. They&rsquo;ve let down too many people, too many times.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>She went even further in her condemnation, adding: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think the Conservative Party should be anywhere near power again in my lifetime.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Farage has instituted a May 7 deadline for prospective Conservative defectors to officially switch to Reform, warning that his party will not be open to last-minute opportunists seeking to court his <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3809347\/trump-arrives-uk-state-visit-surging-right-wing\/\">growing support base<\/a> closer to election time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Suella Braverman defects to Reform UK<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3468,"featured_media":2553109,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26026452906767.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[44232,8206,62027,37154],"class_list":["post-2553108","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-conservative-party","tag-defection","tag-reform-uk","tag-uk-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26026452906767.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2553108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3468"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2553108"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2553108\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2553112,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2553108\/revisions\/2553112"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2553109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2553108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2553108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2553108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}