In a seismic shock to the British political establishment, former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has publicly defected to Nigel Farage's Reform UK, delivering a brutal verdict that the Conservative Party is "dead".
The dramatic move, announced on her TalkTV show, represents one of the most significant defections in recent political history and deals a crushing blow to Rishi Sunak's leadership just weeks before the general election.
A Scathing Indictment
Dorries, who served as a loyal lieutenant to Boris Johnson, launched a ferocious attack on the current Tory leadership. "The party is dead," she declared. "It is already a corpse. The members have left, the voters have left, the donors have left."
Her defection follows weeks of speculation about her political future after she announced she wouldn't stand in the upcoming election, citing her exclusion from Boris Johnson's resignation honours list.
The Farage Factor
In a remarkable political realignment, Dorries praised Nigel Farage as "the only person who has the ability, the drive, the determination and the credibility to take on the establishment." This endorsement marks a significant coup for Reform UK, providing the party with a high-profile convert from the Conservative mainstream.
Political analysts suggest this move could encourage other disaffected Tories to follow suit, potentially fracturing the right-wing vote and complicating Sunak's election strategy.
Westminster Reacts
The announcement has sent shockwaves through Westminster, with Conservative MPs describing the defection as "devastating" and "a betrayal." Meanwhile, Reform UK officials are celebrating what they see as validation of their growing influence in British politics.
This development comes as recent polls show Reform UK gaining ground, with some surveys suggesting they could overtake the Conservatives in certain constituencies.
The political landscape has shifted dramatically, and with the election looming, all eyes will be on whether Dorries' defection marks the beginning of a wider realignment on the British right.
