Overview
- Rosindell became the second Conservative in a week to switch after Robert Jenrick, giving Reform UK seven MPs and its first in London through the Romford seat.
- He quit his role as a Tory shadow foreign affairs minister and cited the Chagos Islands and British sovereignty as his red line for leaving.
- Reform officials say they will not agree a pact with the Conservatives, and policy chief Zia Yusuf argues Jenrick’s arrival improves their general election prospects.
- Kemi Badenoch removed the whip from Jenrick before his move, Tory sources criticised Rosindell’s departure, and Labour and the Liberal Democrats attacked Reform’s intake.
- Commentary notes the defections bolster Reform’s claim to credibility but could blunt its insurgent image and escalate the contest for right‑of‑centre voters.