Ex-Justice Secretary Sir Robert Buckland has told GB News some of Reform UK’s policies are “really quite left-wing” after Nigel Farage’s newest MP claimed his move would “unite the right”.
Robert Jenrick shed his Conservative skin on Thursday after Tory leader Kemi Badenoch ousted him from her Shadow Cabinet, withdrew the whip and suspended his membership after “irrefutable” evidence of a secret plot to defect came to light.
But the former Immigration Minister was not left long sitting in Parliament as an Independent, with the Reform leader unveiling Mr Jenrick as his sixth MP within six hours of Mrs Badenoch’s announcement.
Since the shock defection, the former top Tory has repeatedly thrown out claims he was motivated by personal ambition and careerism, vowing he had hoped the move would “unite the right”.
But Sir Robert scoffed at the “misconceived” claim, arguing that Reform policy is sourced from “all over the political spectrum”.
He told the People’s Channel: “I look at Reform and I think, ‘gosh, some of their policies are really quite left-wing.
“They’re taking policies from all over the political spectrum.
“And perhaps we need to ask ourselves the question, you know, is the term right and left redundant? Are we actually looking at a different type of politics anyway?”
Sir Robert Buckland labelled some of Reform’s policies as ‘really quite left-wing’
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GB NEWS
He added: “Reform is getting support from Conservatives, but it’s getting support from Labour voters and importantly, people who’ve never voted before.”
And, so far, Mr Farage has accepted an array of political views, welcoming defections from the Tories, Labour and even the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats.
Mr Jenrick has followed the likes of former colleagues Andrea Jenkyns, Lee Anderson, Sir Jake Berry and Danny Kruger in his leap over to the party.
Meanwhile, St Helens councillor David Hawley left the Green Party to sign up as a Reform UK member on the council, revealing he backed Brexit to “take back control of Britain’s borders and lower immigration” and slammed the Government’s for its “failure” to do so.
Mr Jenrick joined Reform UK on Thursday in a bid he hoped would ‘unite the right’
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PA
“It is time for me to join the party which best represents the views of myself and the people of St Helens in order to act on the improvements I have long strived for,” he added.
Now, Mr Farage has been teasing a surprise Labour defection in the coming week, with mounting speculation over whether the move will come from a serving MP or even a Cabinet Minister.
The Reform chief promised a “well-known Labour” figure would switch allegiance on Tuesday, teasing the revelation will be “marvellous fun”.
But, on a trip in County Durham, the Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves brushed off questions over the possible defection while her party is pummelled in the polls.
“Nigel Farage says a lot of things and I think we should all take those with a pinch of salt,” she told ITV, while Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden assured Times Radio he was “not worried”.
Although currently serving MP Graham Stringer has been accused of being the possible suspect to take the leap, he has denied the claim.
He vowed: “I’ve been in the party a long time and I’m staying.”
Over in the Lords, it has been suspected blue Labour peer Lord Maurice Glasman or Baroness Kate Hoey could be on the cards for the widely-anticipated announcement.