GB News’s Katherine Forster grilled Nigel Farage today, after he revealed that Suella Braverman is the latest Conservative MP to defect to Reform UK.
Katherine challenged the Reform leader, telling him: “You are a party of recycled Tories now,” following a string of MPs crossing the floor in recent weeks.
Mr Farage rejected the accusation, insisting Reform was “welcoming talent” from those willing to admit the failures of the Conservative Party after 14 years in power.
He said former Tory MPs who join Reform must be prepared to “put their hands up and say ‘we got this badly wrong’”, arguing their experience on the front line of Government was an asset to his party.
Speaking on The People’s Channel, Katherine Forster said: “Reform UK that’s three Conservative MPs in the last week and a half. You’re a party of recycled Tories now.”
Nigel Farage responded: “Well, we’re a party that accepts talent. If people come to us who we believe are talented, who are willing to put their shoulder to the wheel and help us, but who are also prepared to admit honestly the failings of the Conservative Party over 14 years in Government and particularly in the last term provided they’re prepared to put their hands up and say, ‘I’m sorry, we got this badly wrong’, then they’re very welcome.
“They’ve got experience of being on the front line, which, of course, I lack and many of my team lack. That experience is valuable.
“And I think it’s very interesting today there are two big political stories. One is Suella Braverman joining Reform. The other, of course, is Andy Burnham being blocked from standing in the Denton and Gorton by-election.
“And that’s the difference between Keir Starmer and myself. I’m welcoming talent in, and he’s keeping talent out.”
Nigel Farage said Reform UK is a ‘party that accepts talent’
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Katherine said: “You talk about Britain being broken, but you are filling Reform UK with the very people who broke it.”
He explained: “The Conservative Party did break it, absolutely. But you see there are people like Robert Jenrick who resigned as a matter of principle. People like Suella Braverman who spoke out on the ECHR and was removed from her post.
“So we are taking the people who tried to fight the system at the time.”
The Reform UK leader also explained that he will not be welcoming people such as Priti Patel and Boris Johnson.
Suella Braverman has joined Reform UK | GETTY
Mrs Braverman, The former Home Secretary, became the eighth MP to sit under Reform’s banner in the House of Commons.
She made her announcement at a Reform rally for veterans in London on Monday afternoon, declaring she felt as though she had “come home” to the party.
The former Cabinet minister confirmed she was ending three decades of Conservative Party membership alongside resigning the Tory whip.
“Today I am announcing that I am resigning the a Conservative whip and my party membership of 30 years.
“And because I believe with my heart and soul that a better future is possible for us, I am joining Reform UK,” she told the gathering.
Her switch follows similar moves by fellow right-wing Conservatives including Robert Jenrick and Nadhim Zahawi, who had previously crossed to Mr Farage’s party.
On stage at her defection, Mrs Braverman shared Reform’s diagnosis that “Britain in broken”.