TORY MPs are in defection talks with the Reform Party, its leader Richard Tice claims.
He said “more than one” Conservative politician has been using secret backchannels to sound him out about switching parties.
AFPRichard Tice, leader of the Reform UK political party[/caption]
The claims come after a stormy week for Rishi Sunak
He suffered his worst rebellion yet over the Rwanda plan and slipped further down in the polls.
Mr Tice told The Sun on Sunday: “There is increasing desperation in the Red Wall.
“Some Red Wall Tories have been scoping out defecting to us – through third parties.
“There is more than one.”
A source close to Reform said: “If Nigel Farage decides to come out and campaign for Reform with full gusto, that trickle of MPs talking about defecting could become a stream.”
Mr Sunak suffered the toughest week of his premiership as 58 Tories rebelled to back amendments to harden up his Rwanda Bill.
APNigel Farage[/caption]
But the rebellion fizzled out and just 11 Tories voted against the bill in the last vote.
Yet No10 suffered a fresh blow as a YouGov poll showed the Tories are on just 20 per cent – their lowest since Liz Truss.
Reform are hoovering up backing from disgruntled Tories, and are polling at 12 per cent.
Gleeful Reform party sources say they would expect an even bigger poll bounce if Mr Farage comes out and takes up a leading role campaigning for the party at the next election.
Meanwhile, Tory bosses are trying to find out the identity of a mystery Conservative Party donor who paid for a grim poll which showed the Tories are on course for a landslide defeat.
The survey was planted in the press to cause maximum damage to the PM on Rwanda week.
Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
