TORY Jacob Rees-Mogg is on defection watch as fears mount he will quit and join Nigel Farage’s Reform Party.
The former Conservative minister is known to want to return to Parliament after losing his North East Somerset seat last year.
Paul EdwardsTory Jacob Rees-Mogg is on defection watch as fears mount he will join Reform[/caption]
Sir Jacob is close to Mr Farage and has called for a Conservative-Reform election pact to boot Labour out of office.
But Reform UK chiefs have dismissed the call and say they are confident of winning the seat.
A Tory party insider said: “We have Jacob on defection watch.
“His politics are far closer to Nigel’s than Kemi’s and his seat is going to go to Reform.
“If he wants to come back as a politician — and he does — he will need to defect.
“It would be a massive blow to us though, and Reform’s biggest defection by a mile.”
Asked if Reform has their eye on him, a party insider flashed a grin.
Sir Jacob played down talk he is about to tear up his Tory membership card.
He said: “There is no need to put me on defection watch — there is no need to worry.”
Meanwhile, The Sun on Sunday can reveal Reform insiders are already talking about which MPs get which Cabinet jobs under a Farage premiership.
An insider said: “Lee Anderson would be great in the Department for Work and Pensions to stop the scroungers. Richard Tice would be a perfect Business Secretary, fixing the broken relationship with the City.”
Sir Jacob lost his seat to Labour’s Dan Norris at the last election.
But Norris has been suspended by Labour after being arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences.
It could lead to a by-election in North East Somerset before the next general election.
PARees Mogg previously called for a Conservative-Reform election pact to boot out Labour[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
