Lee Anderson, the outspoken MP for Ashfield, has defected to Reform UK, becoming the party's first MP. The move follows his removal from the Conservative benches by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after making false claims that London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer are 'controlled by Islamists'.
Anderson, who previously served as deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, had been warned by Sunak in January that he would fire any frontbenchers failing to vote with the government on the Rwanda bill. Anderson and fellow deputy chairman Brendan Clarke-Smith resigned their roles before the vote to rebel.
The 57-year-old former Labour councillor has a history of controversial statements, including support for the death penalty and criticism of the England football team for taking the knee. He was nicknamed '30p Lee' after suggesting people could cook a meal for 30p a day.
Anderson's defection to Reform UK has been hailed by party leader Richard Tice as a 'champion of the Red Wall'. The move is seen as a blow to the Conservatives, who had relied on Anderson's appeal to working-class voters in the Midlands and north of England.
Anderson, who earns £100,000 a year for hosting a GB News show in addition to his MP salary, has said he wants his 'country back'. His false claims about Islamist influence have sparked widespread outrage and criticism from political opponents and community groups.
