All the Tories linked with joining Reform UK
How likely we think it is that these Conservatives could join Reform
Kemi Badenoch has said she is no longer welcoming centrist ideas within the Conservative Party and those opposing her right-wing ideology “need to get out of the way”.
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The opposition leader has said she is committed to her ideals, despite a group forming for more moderate members.
Former Scottish leader Ruth Davidson and ex-West Midlands mayor Andy Street have reportedly instigated a forum for “politically homeless” centrist and centre-right voters.
“They need to recognise the agenda which I’m setting,” Ms Badenoch said when asked about this, reports the Guardian.
“Anybody who is trying to push an agenda that is not what I got [elected on], not the platform I stood on, is not being helpful.”
Ms Badenoch faces being squeezed to the left as well as the right, with a glut of members having left to join Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Suella Braverman last week became the latest former cabinet member to move right, following the likes of Robert Jenrick, Nadhim Zahawi, Danny Kruger and Nadine Dorries.
Mr Farage, himself also a former Tory, has said that Reform will not become the Conservative Party 2.0 and that defections will only be accepted until the local elections on May 7.
"Any Conservative MP who still clings to the hope that their party can recover and waits until May 8 to try to leave the sinking ship does not understand how rapidly things are changing out in the country," he wrote in the Telegraph.
Here are those who may jump ship.
Which Conservative Party members could join Reform?
We have identified some of the MPs who have been spoken of as possible candidates to defect and have given them a mark out of 10 for likelihood.
Jacob Rees-Mogg - 5/10 likelihood
The former business secretary lost his seat in 2024 and is a long-time Conservative but has links to Reform, having been seen chatting to Mr Farage, while his sister Annunziata Rees-Mogg is a former Brexit Party member.
The 56-year-old ex North East Somerset MP has previously called for Reform to unite with the Tories, but has never made stronger feelings known that he might be about to defect.
Katie Lam - 6/10 likelihood
Ms Lam is Weald of Kent MP has been linked with a move right as she has previously worked as an advisor to Reform newbie Ms Braverman, while she is a close ally of Mr Jenrick, another to defect.
She is said to have strong anti-immigration views, in line with Reform, but is considered a rising star in the Conservatives, working as an assistant whip, while her constituency is strongly Tory.
Mark Francois - 2/10 likelihood
Despite being one of the most ardent Brexit-supporters within the Conservative Party’s ranks, Mr Francois is unlikely to join Reform.
The shadow defence minister and chairman of the European Research Group has clashed multiple times with Mr Farage, most recently after he accused the Conservatives of failing to properly support Northern Ireland veterans.
Mark Jenkinson - 1/10 likelihood
The 44-year-old former MP for Workington is on the Tory right and, from 2012-16, was a member of UKIP before rejoining. But he has vowed not to join Reform.
“I occasionally get people encouraging me to join Reform,” he said on his website.
“They all get the same answer – we Conservatives must hold our nerve and give Kemi the time to build the platform from which we can win the next election.”
Liz Truss - 4/10 likelihood
Mr Farage sat next to the short-lived prime minister at a climate change denial thinktank’s lunch last week, but Reform has said Ms Truss "would not be welcome".
Ms Truss launched a podcast last year and has shared her fears of a “deep state”, which she claimed sprung into action to prevent her economic ideas from blossoming.
Nick Timothy - 3/10 likelihood
Another anti-immigration hard-liner. The MP who succeeded Matt Hancock in West Suffolk might have appeared to follow Robert Jenrick’s lead in joining Reform - but has instead only followed his old ally to the extent of taking his post as shadow justice secretary.
Boris Johnson - 0/10 likelihood
The former prime minister would be unlikely to want to settle for any role below party leader if he was to be lured back into politics, especially for a different party.
He has been a speaker and writer since leaving Parliament and is a lifelong Tory.