Rees-Mogg brands Reform hypocrites over refusal to hold by-elections | Politics | News

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has said Conservative MPs defecting to Reform UK should go to by-elections, warning that their refusal to give voters a say is undermining Nigel Farage’s attacks on Labor.

The surprising intervention came after Suella Braverman became the fourth Conservative MP to take to the floor and say it was not necessary to give her constituents a say in the move.

Speaking on Times Radio this morning, the Conservative Party leader and ally of Ms Braverman said voters must be given a say, warning that refusing to do so would backfire on Mr Farage’s party.

Sir Jacob said: “People who change parties should stand in a by-election… I have argued for some time that if you change the Prime Minister, their powers become personal to the Prime Minister because people vote for a party and the party leader, and a new Prime Minister should go to a new general election.

“I think this is even more true for someone who changes from one party to another.

“I also find it very strange that Reform doesn’t see this as an advantage for itself, because I fear they will win all these by-elections and probably win them pretty healthily.”

He warned: “It undermines Labor’s arguments against canceling local elections when they are not willing to field new voters for their constituency in by-elections.”

Speaking at a press conference at Reform Headquarters yesterday, Ms Braverman said her departure did not require a by-election.

The former Home Secretary defended: “I absolutely believe in a by-election and if I am leaving Labor to go to the Conservatives or leaving the government to go to the opposition, I believe there is a very strong case there for a by-election.

“But as you have heard, I spent the last general election apologizing for being a Conservative and I believe I won this seat despite the Conservative badge.”

Although only four defecting MPs have ever held by-elections to confirm their decisions with local voters, two of these were when Conservative MPs defected to UKIP in 2014; Mr Farage welcomed the decision to give his voters a say.

MPs Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless won the by-election despite a strong effort from the Conservatives.

While Conservatives and Labor criticized Reform UK for refusing to hold by-elections for Ms Braverman, Robert Jenrick, Andrew Rosunull and Danny Kruger, none of the parties that defected in the last parliament held by-elections.

A series of high-profile MRP polls suggested Reform UK would win Ms Braverman’s Waterlooville constituency.