11 Tory MPs on defection watch list over fears more could join Farage’s Reform
The Conservatives have placed 11 MPs on the asylum watchlist amid fears more will go to Robert Jenrick’s Reform UK.
Kemi Badenoch dramatically booted Mr Jenrick from his shadow cabinet on Thursday after his plans to make a move were revealed by the party on Friday, with the Tory leader branding him a “liar” who cannot be trusted.
Former Tory cabinet minister Michael Gove warned Mr Jenrick’s reputation would be damaged by “betrayal” and said his scathing attack on his former party would cause lasting damage to his reputation.
Ms Badenoch insisted her departure would bring stability to the party, but those close to her fear Nigel Farage’s call for action could trigger others – for anyone considering a move in time for the May 7 local elections or risk being rejected by the party. Departure.
Watchlist prepared and seen before Mr Jenrick’s departure Independent, They include former ministers and senior MPs Suella Braverman, Sir John Hayes, Mark Francois, Esther McVey, Andrew Rosunull and Sir Desmond Swayne.
The list also includes 2024 MPs Katie Lam, Bradley Thomas and Lewis Cocking, as well as shadow ministers Matt Vickers and Joy Morrissey.
Nick Timothy is understood to have been considered a flight risk until he accepted the job of being appointed shadow justice secretary to replace Mr Jenrick. However, an insider admitted that the “number of possibilities” extends to more than 20 MPs.
“The party is struggling to survive,” a senior figure said. “If all of these MPs defect by May 7, the game is largely over.”
But the party leadership is acknowledged to have been “completely caught off guard” by Mr Jenrick’s plan to “jump on board in a damaging way”, adding: “We don’t know who, what, or where he’s going to bail next.”
The watchlist includes “almost all members” of the right-wing Common Sense Group within the Conservative Party, which has previously supported Mr Jenrick.
But on Friday Ms Badenoch insisted that following his departure “pretty much all of Rob’s former supporters came to me and apologized”.
He argued that his decision to leave the party would bring stability to the Conservatives, saying: Times: “We’ve been unstable for too long, traitors are Farage’s problem now, not mine. He’ll have to watch out.”
The defiant Tory leader accused Mr Jenrick of wanting to “destroy the Conservative Party”, adding: “That’s what reform wants, not to hold Labor to account or change this country for the better, but to destroy our party. I will never let that happen.”
In a sensational attack on the former shadow justice secretary, Ms Badenoch also said Mr Jenrick “tells loads of lies and you can’t believe a word that comes out of his mouth”. He also claimed that his defection was because he “didn’t think he could be the leader” of the Conservative Party.
He told GB News: “I asked him yesterday morning, ‘Will you notice?’ This is a man who was asked: And he said ‘never’ to the chief whip. And then they found evidence that he was going to resign.
Jenrick’s comments came as he denied personal ambitions were behind his decision and said he hoped Thursday would be remembered as “a time when the right united, when people put aside their party allegiances and came together to fix our country”.
Asked if he knew how many Conservative colleagues would follow him into Mr Farage’s party, he told the BBC: “I have no idea and I haven’t spoken to my colleagues or asked them to do that.”
He said he believed many in the Conservative Party were “good people” but that “the majority of MPs in Westminster don’t believe the things I believe”.
Reform UK’s newest MP added: “We’ll have to see that this is ultimately a decision for them – it’s deeply personal. And then there will be a decision about whether Nigel and Reform can be accepted.”
Independent He contacted all 11 MPs and almost all denied having plans to defect.
But one Tory insider noted: “I’m afraid Jenrick has shown us that people deny asylum until they actually leave.”
Mr Thomas, MP for Bromsgrove, said he was “appalled and disappointed” to be included on the list, while Ms Braverman said she had no plans to leave.
Mr Francois, who has previously spoken of his anger at Reforms’ performance in 2024 at the loss of some of his fellow Conservatives’ seats, denied he would make a move to Talk TV. Meanwhile, Sir Desmond said his blog criticized former colleague Danny Kruger for his departure last year.
Sir John said Independent He said he would “not run away” and advised colleagues who were considering it to “wait and see” because there could be a deal between the Conservatives and Reform after the next election.
He said: “It is a great loss for Robert Jenrick to leave the Conservative Party. He has been our most able and effective shadow minister, an influential figure widely admired in the House of Commons and beyond.
“Despite recent events, I am confident that our close personal relationship will continue to thrive.”
However Independent He learned last week that a senior Tory MP had been hosted and dined by Reform deputy leader Richard Tice to discuss leaving the party, but had rejected the offer.
Others, such as Ms McVey, were highly critical of Ms Badenoch’s decision to expel Mr Jenrick from the party. “I would advise him not to do that. There will be a backlash,” he said.
Another MP on the list added: “I think it was a mistake to let Robert go. He represents what most of us think. Now I don’t know what the future holds.”
One MP said of the watchlist: “It’s as if Kemi is trying to force the party’s right to join Reform. It’s a ridiculous list”, while another claimed it showed “panic” from the senior team.
It comes after Mr Farage said local and national elections on May 7 were a “deadline” and that further Conservative Party involvement with Reform would not be accepted after that date.
Mr Jenrick’s departure comes just days after former Tory minister Nadhim Zahawi joined Reform, the latest in a series of high-profile Tory figures to jump ship, including Dame Andrea Jenkyns, Jonathan Gullis and Nadine Dorries.
