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Braverman joins Reform UK in latest Tory defection
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman has become the third Conservative MP in eleven days to switch allegiance to Reform UK, increasing the party's parliamentary count to eight.
Defection announced at London rally
Braverman revealed her move during a Reform UK event in the capital, where she declared she had resigned her 30-year Conservative membership. Addressing supporters, she stated, "I feel like I've come home." The announcement was made by Nigel Farage, who described it as part of efforts to unify the centre-right under Reform's banner.
Recent departures from the Conservatives
Braverman follows Robert Jenrick and Andrew Rosindell, who also defected earlier this month. Her decision was widely anticipated in Westminster, given her long-standing reputation as a hardline figure on the Tory right. However, the timing of her switch surprised observers, as it coincided with a Reform event focused on military veterans.
Braverman's political career and controversies
First elected as an MP in 2015, Braverman served as attorney general under Boris Johnson and was appointed home secretary by Liz Truss in September 2022. She was dismissed from the role a month later after sending an official document via her personal email. Reappointed by Rishi Sunak days later, she was sacked again in 2023 over an article accusing the Metropolitan Police of bias during pro-Palestinian protests.
Criticism of the Conservative government
At the Reform rally, Braverman claimed Britain was "broken" and that immigration was "out of control." She framed her defection as a choice between "managed decline" and reclaiming national strength. Farage revealed he had discussed the move with her for over a year, adding that she acknowledged the failures of the previous government.
"She's now prepared to put her hand up and say, we got it wrong."
Nigel Farage
Reactions from across the political spectrum
A Conservative Party spokesman dismissed Braverman's defection as inevitable, remarking, "There are some people who are MPs because they care about their communities... There are others who do it for their personal ambition." The spokesman noted her unsuccessful leadership bids in 2022 and 2024, suggesting her move to Reform was driven by opportunism.
Former Tory MP Henry Smith, who also defected to Reform, claimed Braverman had tried to steer the last government in a "Conservative direction" but was blocked. On BBC Radio 5 Live, he argued that many Conservative MPs were more aligned with the Liberal Democrats than their own party's leadership.
Conservative MP Sir Bernard Jenkin countered that Braverman and Jenrick were leaving just as the party's new leader, Kemi Badenoch, was "beginning to pull us up in the polls."
Labour Party chair Anna Turley accused Farage of filling Reform with "failed Tories responsible for the chaos and decline that held Britain back for 14 years." Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper similarly criticised Braverman, accusing her of "selective amnesia" for blaming broken Britain while ignoring her own role in its problems.
Broader trend of Tory defections
Braverman's defection adds to a growing list of Conservative MPs switching to Reform. Since the general election, around 20 former Tory MPs have made the move, including ex-ministers Nadhim Zahawi, Nadine Dorries, and Jake Berry.
