In a dramatic turn for British politics, Danny Kruger, the Conservative MP for East Wiltshire and a prominent frontbencher, has become the first sitting Conservative to defect to Reform UK. His high-profile departure, announced on September 15, 2025, at a packed press conference alongside Reform leader Nigel Farage, sent shockwaves through Westminster and beyond, marking a watershed moment for both parties and the broader right-of-center political landscape.
Kruger, who has served as a Conservative MP since 2019 and most recently held the post of shadow work and pensions minister under Kemi Badenoch, did not mince words as he explained his decision. "The Conservative Party is over, over as a national party, over as the principal opposition to the Left," he declared, as reported by BBC News and ITV News. Yet, Kruger was quick to clarify that he did not see conservatism itself as finished. "But I am not despondent because conservatism is not over. It's never been needed more. And actually, it's never been more vibrant. Because the failure of the Conservative Party has created space for an alternative. The flame is passing from one torch to another."
His move, described repeatedly as "personally painful," was not made lightly. Kruger has been a Conservative activist and MP for more than two decades, and his family ties—he is the son of TV chef Dame Prue Leith—have often placed him in the public eye. Known for his opposition to the assisted dying bill, a stance that contrasts with his mother's advocacy, Kruger has never shied away from controversial positions. But on this occasion, he insisted that the party he once championed is now simply too divided and, in his words, "a toxic brand" to unite and deliver the change he believes Britain needs.
Kruger’s defection is not just symbolic; it comes with real political heft. Farage, the charismatic and often polarizing leader of Reform UK, announced that Kruger would head a new unit tasked with preparing Reform for government. "Our mission is not just to overthrow the current system, it is to restore it," Kruger told reporters, echoing themes of national renewal and institutional overhaul. He called on others—especially those with experience in the public sector or military—to join or advise the party, suggesting a broadening of Reform’s ambitions and operational scope.
For Kruger, the tipping point appears to have come after Lee Anderson, another former Conservative MP, joined Reform in June 2024. Kruger admitted he had started to consider his own position at that time, reflecting on the Conservative Party’s ability to act as a credible opposition. He told Sky News, "I don't think the Conservative Party is dead. It's just over as the official opposition." He added, "Nigel [Farage] may be our last hope on the political Right and I am proud to follow him," though he acknowledged the risk, noting his own seat is "not particularly" a Reform target.
Notably, Kruger’s view of Reform UK has evolved. Only a few months ago, he criticized the party in Parliament, saying, "They would spend money like drunken sailors." But in his press conference, Kruger explained that Reform had since "corrected their position on welfare spending" and that both he and Farage now share a commitment to reducing overall benefit spending while supporting families with children.
The reaction from across the political spectrum was swift and pointed. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, speaking just moments after Kruger’s announcement, insisted, "We are the only party of conservatives who are working on dealing with the government that we have now. We want them to live within our means. The economy is in freefall. They don't know what to do." She sought to project unity and resolve, even as she acknowledged the turbulence such defections bring: "I know this is the sort of thing that is going to happen while a party is changing. I'm making sure people understand what Conservative values are."
Labour, meanwhile, seized the moment to paint both the Conservatives and Reform UK with the same brush. A spokesperson stated, "Every Conservative who defects to Reform ties Nigel Farage more closely to their record of failure. Nigel Farage can recruit as many failed Tories as he likes – it won't change the fact that he has no plan for Britain. The Tories crashed our economy and left public services crumbling. Britain deserves better than Reform's Tory tribute act that would leave working people paying a very high price."
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper also weighed in, describing the Conservative Party as "a shell of its former self" and suggesting that Badenoch's leadership had pushed "lifelong Tories towards her party in their droves." The Green Party’s Rachel Millward sounded a warning about the rise of Reform, stating Kruger’s defection "serves as a loud alarm bell for the rest of us about the threats to this country if Reform UK were ever to form a government."
Within Conservative circles, there was also a sense of sadness and loss. Christian Conservative Councillor Clare De Silva told Premier Christian News, "I think it's a real shame and something of a loss to the party. I was shocked, but I think most of all really quite saddened by the whole thing. It's always sad to see someone go, but I think this one really had somewhat of a poignancy about it." De Silva, who described Kruger as "a God-fearing man" who would have made his decision carefully, emphasized the importance of "disagreeing well" within the Christian political community.
Kruger’s defection brings Reform UK’s total number of MPs in the Commons to six, following the earlier addition of Lee Anderson and the election of Rupert Lowe and James McMurdock in 2024 (though both have since left the party). Kruger, an old Etonian and Oxford graduate, has a long history in Conservative politics, including stints as a speechwriter for David Cameron and as political secretary to Boris Johnson. His Brexiteer credentials are well known, and he has been a fixture at right-leaning conferences, such as the National Conservatism Conference in 2023, where he argued that marriage between men and women should be recognized and rewarded as society’s foundation.
As for what comes next, Kruger made clear he will not trigger a by-election, opting instead to serve out his term as a Reform MP. His move, and the reactions it has provoked, underscore the volatility and shifting allegiances in British politics as the country looks ahead to its next general election. Whether Kruger’s gamble pays off, or whether it signals the beginning of a broader realignment on the right, remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the landscape of British conservatism has changed, and the reverberations are only just beginning to be felt.
