Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell has defected to Reform UK, the party has announced.
Nigel Farage’s party confirmed this evening the Tory shadow minister for Foreign Affairs had become its seventh MP.
Mr Rosindell said he had “with sorrow” decided to resign from his post and leave the Conservative party, which he joined at age 14, saying “the time has come to put country before party”.
The Romford MP said a “clear red line” for him was “the failure of the Conservative Party both when in government and more recently in opposition to actively hold the Government to account on the issue of Chagossian self-determination and the defence of British sovereignty”.
He wrote in a post social media: “Since entering Parliament in 2001, I have consistently argued, both from the backbenches and the frontbench, that the right of self-determination of the Chagossian people is sacrosanct, and that they alone should decide the future sovereignty of the Chagos Islands.
“Regrettably, these concerns have fallen on deaf ears. Both the Government and the opposition have been complicit in the surrender of this sovereign British territory to a foreign power.
“This was made abundantly clear by the failure of Conservative peers to vote down the British Indian Ocean Territory Bill at third reading earlier this month, following direction from the top of the party.
“Sadly, I now believe that the Conservative party is irreparably bound to the mistakes of previous governments and unwilling to take meaningful accountability for the poor decisions made over so many issues.”
Mr Rosindell has defected to Reform UK | GETTY
He went on to reference his Romford constituency which he said had been “ignored for far too long”.
“It is clear to me that Reform UK is now the only political movement that is genuinely willing to fight for the best interests of the United Kingdom,” Mr Rosindell added.
“The views and concerns of the majority of the British people must no longer be sidelined.
“Our country has endured a generation of managed decline. Radical action is now required to reverse the damaging decisions of the past and to forge a new course for Britain – one that firmly places the interests of the British people first.”
Mr Rosindell said Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is ‘the only political movement that is genuinely willing to fight for the best interests of the UK’
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Reform UK leader Mr Farage said he was “delighted to welcome” the ex-shadow minister to his party.
He wrote to X: “Andrew is a great patriot. The Tory lies and hypocrisy over the Chagos Islands betrayal tipped him over the edge.
“He will be a great addition to our May 7 campaign.”
Reform have set May 7 – the date of crucial local elections in which they hope to make significant gains – as a cut-off point for admitting current and former MPs, as well as for local councillors to defect.
Mr Rosindell’s defection comes just days after the same move by former shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick.
Robert Jenrick announced his defection to Reform UK earlier this week
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Newark MP Mr Jenrick welcomed Mr Rosindell to the party. He wrote to X: “A great champion of Romford, a true patriot and now Reform MP!”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said in recent days that she was “100 per cent confident” she would not see any more of her MPs leave for Reform.
Asked if she would be on alert for MPs seeking to switch sides before the elections, Mrs Badenoch said: “I think people should be wondering why they set that deadline.
“Perhaps they’re worried that they’re not going to get anyone any more.”