In a move that has sent shockwaves through the British political landscape, Conservative MP Danny Kruger announced on September 15, 2025, that he is defecting to Reform UK, becoming the first sitting Tory lawmaker to join the insurgent right-wing party since the last general election. The announcement, made at a press conference alongside Reform leader Nigel Farage, marks a significant turning point for both parties and comes amid a period of intense political volatility in the United Kingdom.
Kruger, who has represented East Wiltshire since 2019 and served as the shadow work and pensions minister under Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, did not mince words about the state of his former party. "The Conservative Party is over," he declared, his message ringing through the crowded press room. "Over as a national party, over as the principal opposition to the left." According to BBC, Kruger described his decision as "personally painful" but insisted that the Tories had become a "toxic brand" plagued by "a year of stasis and drift and the sham unity that comes from not doing anything bold or difficult or controversial."
The defection is not just symbolic; it has practical implications for the balance of power and the future direction of right-wing politics in Britain. Reform UK, founded by Farage and now leading national opinion polls, has struggled to translate its popularity into parliamentary seats. With Kruger’s arrival, the party's tally in the House of Commons rises to five, a modest number but one that carries outsized significance given the circumstances. As Reuters notes, Kruger is the first sitting MP to defect since the 2024 election, despite at least a dozen prominent Tories having already crossed the floor in recent months.
Kruger’s new role is not merely as another MP. He will head a newly established unit within Reform tasked with preparing the party for government—a clear sign that Farage is gearing up for a serious challenge to the status quo. "I have been honoured to be asked to help Reform prepare for government," Kruger said, expressing hope that Farage would become the next prime minister. According to Bloomberg, Farage emphasized that Kruger had approached him about the move, further underlining the gravity of the situation for the Conservative Party.
Kruger’s defection comes at a time of deep crisis for the Tories. The party, once the most successful political force in British history, suffered a devastating defeat in the July 2024 general election and has since plummeted further in the polls. Labour’s landslide victory last year, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, initially promised stability, but the government has recently been beset by its own setbacks, including the forced departures of high-ranking officials. Meanwhile, Reform UK has surged ahead in national voting intention, overtaking Labour in several recent polls.
Kruger did not shy away from criticizing his former colleagues. "There have been moments when I have been very proud to belong to the Tory party," he acknowledged, but added, "The rule of our time in office was failure. Bigger government, social decline, lower wages, higher taxes and less of what ordinary people actually wanted." In a pointed critique, he said, "This is my tragic conclusion, the Conservative Party is over, over as a national party, over as the principal opposition to the left."
His decision not to trigger a by-election has sparked controversy, particularly among his former local Conservative association. Brian Burchfield, chairman of the Melksham and Devizes Conservative association, voiced disappointment, stating, "His constituents deserve the opportunity to choose their MP based on the party they stood for at election—not one they've opted to switch to mid-term." Kruger, however, insisted he would continue to represent his constituents as before, despite the change in party allegiance.
Kruger’s political journey has been marked by influence and controversy. Before entering Parliament, he served as speechwriter for former Prime Minister David Cameron—famously penning the "hug a hoodie" speech—and as political secretary to Boris Johnson. Within the Conservative Party, he was seen as a key thinker and strategist, founding the New Conservatives and running Robert Jenrick’s leadership campaign. Ironically, he had also been involved in efforts to counter the rise of Reform UK from within the Tory ranks, according to The Independent.
His outspoken views on social issues have drawn both support and criticism. At a 2023 National Conservatism Conference, Kruger declared that marriage between men and women was "the only possible basis for a safe and successful society"—a statement from which then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak distanced himself. He has also made controversial remarks about abortion, telling Parliament in 2022 that he disagreed with the idea that pregnant women have "an absolute right to bodily autonomy." These positions have made him a lightning rod for criticism, and even his mother, television chef Prue Leith, has spoken publicly about being targeted on social media due to her son’s views.
Reactions to the defection have been swift and polarized. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, seeking to project calm, told Sky News, "Danny has made his case very clear, that this is not about me. I can't be distracted by that, and I'm not going to get blown off course by these sort of incidents. 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." Yet the loss of such a high-profile figure is a blow to her already embattled leadership.
The opposition parties have seized on the moment to attack both the Conservatives and Reform UK. A Labour Party spokesperson dismissed the move, saying, "Nigel Farage can recruit as many failed Tories as he likes—it won't change the fact that he has no plan for Britain. 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 was equally scathing, labeling the Conservatives "a shell of its former self" and warning that Farage’s party is "shapeshifting into the Conservatives in front of our very eyes."
Kruger’s defection may not be the last. According to The Independent, at least one of his former Tory colleagues is considering a similar move, and recent months have already seen high-profile departures such as Nadine Dorries, Dame Andrea Jenkyns, Marco Longhi, and Sir Jake Berry. The sense of a party in disarray is palpable, with some observers predicting that more defections are imminent as the Tories struggle to define their identity in the face of mounting pressure from both Reform UK and Labour.
For now, Kruger’s leap to Reform UK is a vivid illustration of the realignment underway in British politics. Whether it heralds a lasting shift or simply a moment of turbulence remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the old certainties are gone, and the battle for the future of the British right is only just beginning.
