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Former Conservative cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi has defected to Reform UK.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday morning, the former Tory MP said: “Britain needs Nigel Farage as prime minister.”
He added: “I know this may come as a surprise to my old party and to many Westminster watchers, but it really shouldn’t, and it certainly won’t come as a shock to the tens of millions of hard-working, patriotic, decent people up and down our wonderful United Kingdom.”
The former MP for Stratford-on-Avon is the latest former senior Conservative to join Farage’s party.
Former cabinet ministers Jake Berry and Nadine Dorries have defected. As has Danny Kruger, who is one of Reform’s five MPs in the House of Commons.
However, Zahawi, who stood down as an MP at the 2024 general election, will be seen as the most high-profile defection yet, having previously held numerous ministerial roles under successive Conservative prime ministers, including education secretary and a brief spell as chancellor.
He is also a former chairman of the Conservative Party, a role from which he resigned over his tax affairs.
It comes as Reform continues to lead the opinion polls and is eyeing further electoral gains at the May local elections.
Speaking alongside Farage and Reform UK’s head of policy Zia Yusuf, the former cabinet minister said: “Things may feel like they’re ticking along just fine within a few square miles of where we stand today, but in so much of the rest of the country, the sickness is no surprise to anyone.
“To anyone trying to get a doctor’s appointment, to anyone who wants to express an opinion, whether on X or even just down the pub, to anyone who wants their children to be taught fact, not harmful fictions at school, to anyone just trying to earn a living and not get crushed into the dirt by ever-growing taxes, even if you don’t yet realise that Britain needs Reform… You know in your heart of hearts that our wonderful country is sick.”
Reacting, a Conservative Party spokesperson said: “Reform is fast becoming the party of has-been politicians looking for their next gravy train. Their latest recruit used to say he’d be ‘frightened to live in a country’ run by Nigel Farage, which shows the level of loyalty for sale.”
