TORY MP Danny Kruger has today sensationally defected to Reform – declaring “the Conservative party is over”.
The East Wiltshire MP – and son of TV chef Prue Leith – announced he is jumping ship to Nigel Farage’s party.
GettyNigel Farage announcing the defection in Westminster today[/caption]
PANigel Farage welcoming Danny Kruger today[/caption]
He is the first sitting Tory to join Reform – which is leading in the polls – and become their fifth MP in Westminster.
Mr Farage has tasked Mr Kruger, 50, with heading up the party’s new “department for preparing for government”.
Speaking at a surprise press conference today, Mr Kruger said: “I hoped after our defeat last year that the Conservative Party would learn the obvious lesson, that the old ways don’t work, that centrism is not enough, that real change is needed.
“But no. We have had a year of stasis and drift and the sham unity that comes from not doing anything bold or difficult or controversial.
“And the result is in the polls. And those lost voters aren’t coming back, and every day, more and more people are joining them in deserting a party that has failed.
“And so this is my tragic conclusion: the Conservative Party is over, over as a national party, over as the principal opposition to the left.”
The pair revealed they had been in defection talks for some time.
He did say he held “some responsibility” for high levels of immigration under the last Tory administration.
He stepped in to say he was “arguing strongly against” policies made at the time.
He said: “While, as a Conservative MP, in a sense, I bear some responsibility for that.
“In practice, I was arguing strongly against the degree of both legal and illegal migration that the government was presiding over, and I’m on record for having opposed measures that the government was introducing, particularly at.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting waded into the defection row – declaring Labour must focus its attention on the Reform surge.
He said: “Danny Kruger is right about one thing: the Conservative Party is over.
“The battle is now with Reform UK and it’s a fight that Labour must win on values as well as delivery.”
Kruger also revealed that he didn’t even think Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick could save the party – if he succeeded Kemi Badenoch as Tory leader.
Kruger said: “I wish that he had won, because I think he would have done things differently. I think he would have taken the fight to Labour immediately, rather than Kemi’s strategy, which is a respectable one, by the way. It’s understandable why she chose to do it.”
“I don’t think he could succeed in overtaking Reform. Now, who knows what would have happened if he won last year, but I think now it is too late and and so I wish all my former colleagues well on a personal level.
“But as I say, I think the Conservative Party is unable to deliver for conservatives.”
Kruger also said that he had “no idea” if fellow Tories were willing to defect.
He said: “I would hope that colleagues who share my view about the crisis the country is in and the opportunity that Reform offers to save our country.
“In terms of what conversations are under way, I have absolutely no idea, and that is best left to the leader.”
Mr Farage added: “We keep everything under wraps. When we have negotiations, nothing leaks.
“None of you had a clue that Danny would be joining us today, and that is how we operate.”
Mr Kruger added that Reform UK is “getting serious as a government in waiting” but will not be “arrogant”.
He said: “What we are doing today is announcing a process of getting serious as a government in waiting.
“We are not being arrogant, certainly not hubristic about the expectation of winning.
“We are ahead in the polls, it doesn’t mean it is going to stay that way. We are not predicting victory.
“But we are anticipating victory, and we are doing the responsible thing, as Nigel said earlier, of ensuring that if we are fortunate enough to win the support of the public, we will be ready with a plan.”
A Labour spokesman said: “Every Conservative who defects to Reform ties Nigel Farage more closely to their record of failure.
“Nigel Farage can recruit as many failed Tories as he likes – it won’t change the fact that he has no plan for Britain.
“The Tories crashed our economy and left public services crumbling. Britain deserves better than Reform’s Tory tribute act that would leave working people paying a very high price.
“Only this Labour Government is driving forwards delivery to make working people better off and give our country the renewal it needs.”
Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
