Andrew Rosindell has recently made the decision to leave the Conservative Party and join Reform UK, making him the second Tory MP to defect to the party within a week. This move comes as a setback for Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who had to dismiss Robert Jenrick after learning about his planned defection. Rosindell, who served as a shadow minister for foreign affairs, announced his affiliation with Nigel Farage’s Reform party on Sunday, setting a deadline of May 7 for defections.
In response to Rosindell’s defection, Labour party chair Anna Turley criticized the move, stating that Reform UK is trying to cover up the failures of the Conservative Party. Rosindell, in a statement posted online, expressed his decision to resign from his positions within the Conservative Party, citing his prioritization of national interests over party allegiance. He highlighted his dissatisfaction with the Conservative Party’s handling of issues like Chagossian self-determination and British sovereignty, which led to his decision to defect.
Nigel Farage welcomed Rosindell’s decision, praising him as a patriot who was compelled to join Reform UK due to his disillusionment with the Conservative Party’s actions regarding the Chagos Islands betrayal. With Rosindell’s defection, Reform UK now has seven MPs in the House of Commons, including recent defector Robert Jenrick. This shift in party affiliations indicates a growing support base for Reform UK ahead of the upcoming elections on May 7.