Conservative Party in Turmoil as Star MP Defects to Reform UK

The Conservative Party has been plunged into a new crisis as prominent MP Danny Kruger dramatically defected to Reform UK, declaring his former party "over as a national party." The bombshell announcement, made at a joint press conference with Reform leader Nigel Farage, marks the latest and most significant blow to the Conservative's efforts to rebuild after their recent general election defeat.

Kruger, the MP for East Wiltshire and a leading figure in the "New Conservatives" group, stated that his decision was a "personally painful" one but insisted that the Tory party's "failure" had left a vacuum for a new, true conservative movement. He criticized the current leadership under Kemi Badenoch for "a year of stasis and drift," arguing that the party had failed to learn the lessons from its recent electoral collapse. Kruger, a social conservative, highlighted specific "policy disagreements," including his opposition to the two-child benefit cap, as a key factor in his departure.

In a move that sends a clear signal of Reform UK's growing ambition, Nigel Farage announced that Kruger would be put in charge of preparing the party for government. This strategic appointment positions Reform UK not merely as a protest party, but as a serious contender for power.

The defection has ignited a fierce political firestorm. While Kemi Badenoch dismissed the claims that the Conservative party is "finished," she acknowledged policy disagreements as a factor in Kruger's departure. Meanwhile, the Labour Party, currently in power, seized on the news, labeling Reform UK a "Tory tribute act" with "no plan for Britain."

The development is a major turning point in British politics. Kruger is the first sitting Conservative MP to defect to Reform UK, and his departure, given his influence and intellectual standing on the party's right wing, is a far more serious blow than previous defections. It adds a fresh layer of legitimacy to Reform's claims that they are the "new home" of conservatism and threatens to further fracture the right-wing vote. With Farage now under renewed scrutiny over the funding for his partner's Clacton home purchase, the political landscape is becoming increasingly volatile, setting the stage for a new battle for the soul of the British right.