Former Tory minister Nadine Dorries defects to Reform UK
The move adds to a string of Conservative departures ahead of Reform's conference, a shift that observers say echoes factional realignments seen in US politics
Former Conservative minister Nadine Dorries has defected to Reform UK, saying the Conservative Party is “dead” and urging its members to “think the unthinkable” about the party’s future.
Dorries, who spoke to the Daily Mail, said the decision to leave the Conservatives was “the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make, and it has taken me 12 agonising months to reach.” She added that her “core beliefs” were the same as when she first joined the Conservative Party in 1995.
Dorries served in government under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, holding roles including culture secretary and a brief spell as a health minister. She stepped down as the MP for Mid-Bedfordshire in 2023 after 18 years in the House of Commons and used her resignation to sharply criticise then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Since leaving Parliament she has been openly critical of current Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.
Her defection is the latest in a series of moves from the Conservatives to Reform UK, following the departures of former Welsh Secretary David Jones and ex-Tory chairman Sir Jake Berry. A Conservative Party spokesman said: “We wish Nadine well.” Reform UK members are heading to Birmingham for the party’s annual conference this week.
Dorries’s switch underscores an ongoing reshuffle on the right of British politics, with Reform UK attracting several former Conservative figures. The party has sought to position itself as an alternative for voters and politicians dissatisfied with the current leadership of the Conservatives.
In comments published in the Daily Mail, Dorries said her beliefs had not changed since she joined the Conservative Party but that the party itself had. She argued the Conservatives are no longer a vehicle for those convictions and said her departure was a response to that shift.
The defection is likely to be discussed at Reform UK’s conference, where party officials and members are convening to set out priorities and attract support. The Conservative Party’s brief response signalled an attempt to limit further fallout, while Reform UK has continued to present itself as a home for disaffected Conservative figures.
Dorries’s political trajectory — from backbench MP to cabinet minister and then to an outspoken critic of her former party — reflects wider debates about the direction of centre-right politics in the United Kingdom. Observers have noted comparable strains and realignments within conservative movements elsewhere, including the United States, where intra-party divisions have reshaped political competition in recent years.
For now, Dorries will be a high-profile recruit for Reform UK as it seeks to capitalise on discontent within the Conservative ranks and broaden its appeal ahead of forthcoming political contests.