A forthcoming press conference featuring former Conservative heavyweights Suella Braverman and Lord Frost alongside Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has ignited speculation about potential defections from the Conservative Party.
Scheduled for Thursday at 10 a.m., the event is set to be livestreamed, with Mr. Tice announcing on social media:
“Tomorrow at 10am I will be sharing a press conference with @DavidGHFrost and @SuellaBraverman. Don’t miss it! Will be live streamed.”
Ms. Braverman, MP for Fareham and Waterlooville, has previously suggested that a move to Reform UK is a possibility. In a recent interview on The Telegraph’s Planet Normal podcast, she acknowledged the party’s growing popularity, stating:
“We can’t ignore the polls. Reform is doing very well at the moment.”
Her husband, Rael Braverman, was briefly a member of Reform UK before resigning in July due to criticism of his wife’s immigration policies during her tenure as Home Secretary.
Lord Frost, the former chief Brexit negotiator, has also not dismissed the idea of aligning with Reform UK in the future. In May, he told the same podcast that he was “not emotionally committed” to the Conservative Party, which he believes has yet to grasp the issues leading to its electoral setbacks.
The press conference announcement follows a series of high-profile defections to Reform UK, including former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, who joined the party just before its annual conference. Other recent converts include former Conservative Party Chairman Sir Jake Berry, former Wales Secretary David Jones, and Dame Andrea Jenkyns.
Reform UK, under the leadership of Nigel Farage, has experienced a surge in support, securing five seats in the 2024 general election—the first time it had elected MPs. The party has consistently led in opinion polls for several months, focusing on issues such as immigration and law and order. However, public opinion remains divided, with only 24% of Britons believing a Reform UK government would perform well, while 49% anticipate it would do a poor job.
As the political landscape continues to shift, all eyes will be on the Reform UK press conference to see if it marks the beginning of a significant realignment in British politics.
