In a significant political shift, another Conservative Member of Parliament has switched allegiance to Reform UK, dealing a setback to Kemi Badenoch. Andrew Rosindell, the long-serving MP for Romford with nearly a quarter-century of service, cited the Conservative Party’s position on the Chagos Islands as the driving factor behind his defection.

Rosindell, who joined the Tory ranks at the tender age of 14 and held the position of Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, is now the third prominent figure to join Reform UK in just one week. His move follows that of former Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick, marking a noteworthy trend.

This decision comes on the heels of a confident assertion by opposition leader Kemi Badenoch, who had expressed complete assurance that no further members of her Shadow Cabinet would defect. Just two days before Rosindell’s announcement, Badenoch had declared her certainty about maintaining party cohesion.

Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, welcomed Rosindell’s decision with enthusiasm. “Andrew is a great patriot,” Farage stated, highlighting Rosindell’s disillusionment with the Conservative Party’s handling of the Chagos Islands issue as a tipping point. “We are delighted to have him join our ranks,” Farage added, noting Rosindell’s potential to strengthen the party as they approach the upcoming elections on May 7th.

Reform UK’s leader Nigel Farage said: ‘Andrew is a great patriot. The Tories’ lies and hypocrisy over the Chagos Islands betrayal has tipped him over the edge, and we are delighted to welcome him to our ranks.

‘He will be a great addition to our team ahead of the elections on May 7th.’

Mr Rosindell announced his defection on the social media platform X.

He said: ‘This evening, with sorrow, I have decided to resign from my position as an Opposition Shadow Minister and as a member of the Conservative & Unionist Party.

Conservative Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Andrew Rosindell (pictured) has defected to Reform UK

Nigel Farage welcomed Robert Jenrick into the fold on Thursday, hours after he had been summarily sacked by Kemi Badenoch for plotting a betrayal

‘Since joining the Conservative Party at the age of 14, I have been a loyal and committed supporter of the principles advocated by Margaret Thatcher that have always underpinned my own political beliefs.

‘However, the time has come to put country before party.’

He said the failure of the Tories both in government and opposition over the Chagos Islands – the British territory in the Indian Ocean now being handed to Mauritius – was a ‘clear red line’.

‘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.’ Mr Rosindell added.

The defection will renew claims that Reform – which at the weekend set a May deadline for defections – is now home to too many former Tories and so will not be seen as a radical new movement by voters at the next general election. 

Earlier this week Ms Badenoch claimed her party was stronger and more united after she dramatically sacked her leadership rival, Mr Jenrick, having discovered he was planning to defect, and thanked Nigel Farage for doing her ‘spring cleaning’.

She also insisted she would never do a deal with Reform UK despite growing pleas for the two parties to work together so they can together defeat Labour at the next election.

Former Tory chancellor Nadhim Zahawi was all smiles as he posed alongside Nigel Farage, despite having once branded his vision for Britain as ‘frightening’

Mr Jenrick claimed he was in fact uniting the Right by changing allegiance and denied his move was motivated by personal ambition.

But he was warned by Tory grandee Lord Michael Gove that he too may now become best known for his treachery while Reform risks becoming the ‘Slytherin House’ of British politics.

In a round of interviews on Friday as the fallout continued from Thursday’s dramatic events, Ms Badenoch said: ‘I’m thrilled because Nigel Farage is doing my spring cleaning for me. The problems are leaving the Conservative party and going to Reform.’

Yesterday, the Mail on Sunday revealed Mr Jenrick’s surreal defection notes – in which he was styled as the ‘new sheriff in town’.

The plan also described him as ‘the most popular Tory Shadow Cabinet member, leader-in-waiting if Kemi ever falls and the most dynamic politician in the Conservative Party’, while notes scrawled on it in what appeared to be Mr Jenrick’s handwriting included lines about Mr Farage such as: ‘Only person in British politics [to have] been consistent. Obviously right person to lead the charge.’

The notes, along with a draft of Mr Jenrick’s resignation speech, were obtained by a mole in the MP’s office and sent to Ms Badenoch before he could make his dramatic move, prompting her to sack him and kick him out of the party on Thursday.

Mr Jenrick was bounced into formally defecting at a joint press conference with Mr Farage later that day, just three days after former Tory Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi had also switched to Reform.

In a move that took Westminster by surprise, Mr Zahawi announced that Britain needed Nigel Farage as Prime Minister.

He insisted that only Mr Farage had what it takes to run the country, saying of Tory leader Kemi Badenoch: ‘She’s got the baggage of what I think is a defunct brand, a brand that the nation has decided they can no longer trust.’

This is a breaking news story, more to follow