Danny Kruger, the Conservative MP for East Wiltshire, has defected to Reform UK, declaring that the Conservative Party 'is over' and that Nigel Farage is the 'new custodian' of conservatism. Kruger, who previously served as political secretary to Boris Johnson, announced his decision on Thursday, becoming the first sitting MP to defect to Reform since the party's surge in the polls this summer.
In a statement, Kruger accused the Tories of clinging to 'defunct institutions' and operating under 'sham unity' since their general election defeat last year, which he said had left them in 'stasis'. He argued that it was 'too late' to save the party even under a new leader such as Robert Jenrick, whom he supported in last year's leadership contest. 'The Conservative party is over. Over as a national party, over as the principal opposition to the left,' Kruger said.
Kruger has been appointed Reform UK's head of 'preparing for government' and said all future plans would be fully costed. He distanced himself from earlier remarks that Reform would 'spend money like drunken sailors', noting that Farage had since committed to welfare reform. Farage said the party would host a press conference next week to address the numbers.
The defection comes weeks after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Tories who 'want to jump ship' to Reform were 'welcome to do so'. Responding to the news, Badenoch said she could not be 'blown off course' by such incidents. A Tory MP described the defection as 'very upsetting' and a 'terribly bad look' for the party.
