The defection comes just days after Robert Jenrick joined Nigel Farage’s party
Tom Burnett Content Editor
20:13, 18 Jan 2026Updated 20:33, 18 Jan 2026
Andrew Rosindell(Image: Kirsty O’Connor/PA Wire)
Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell has joined Reform UK, the party has announced.
Nigel Farage’s party confirmed the MP for Romford, in east London, had joined.
Mr Rosindell has represented the constituency for the Tories since 2001.
He said he had resigned as a shadow minister from the Conservative Party to join Reform UK following a conversation on Sunday evening with Nigel Farage.
Posting on X, he wrote: “Since joining the Conservative Party at the age of 14, I have been a loyal and committed supporter of the principles advocated by Margaret Thatcher that have always underpinned my own political beliefs.
“However, the time has come to put country before party.
“The failure of the Conservative Party both when in government and more recently in opposition to actively hold the government to account on the issue of Chagossian self-determination and the defence of British sovereignty, represents a clear red line for me.”
He added: “It is clear to me that Reform UK is now the only political movement that is genuinely willing to fight for the best interests of the United Kingdom.
“The views and concerns of the majority of the British people must no longer be sidelined. Our country has endured a generation of managed decline.
“Radical action is now required to reverse the damaging decisions of the past and to forge a new course for Britain – one that firmly places the interests of the British people first.”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage the MP was tipped “over the edge” by “Tory lies and hypocrisy over the Chagos Islands”.
Mr Farage said: “I am delighted to welcome Andrew Rosindell to Reform UK.
“Andrew is a great patriot. The Tory lies and hypocrisy over the Chagos Islands betrayal tipped him over the edge.
“He will be a great addition to our May 7th campaign.”
The defection comes just days after Robert Jenrick joined the party after Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch removed the Tory whip from him.
Robert Jenrick joining Reform UK “makes it more likely that we win the next general election”, Reform’s head of policy Zia Yusuf has said.
Mr Jenrick said last July that Nigel Farage’s party should give Mr Yusuf “the boot”, when he said a member of his team had “accidentally pressed like” on an antisemitic post on X.
Mr Yusuf apologised, after an anonymous X user posted a video that appeared to show Mr Yusuf liking a tweet attacking Mr Jenrick’s wife, who is Jewish.
This week Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch dismissed Mr Jenrick as shadow justice secretary and suspended him from the party, accusing him of plotting to jump ship.
Mr Jenrick has conceded that he was “resolved” to switch to Reform before he was given the boot.
Mr Yusuf has now said Mr Jenrick is “thoughtful” and “clear-eyed about all of the different ways the Tories betrayed this country”.
Asked if he was in on the negotiations to bring Mr Jenrick into Reform, he told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “The most important thing about Robert’s arrival at Reform is that I had dinner with him on Thursday night, obviously the day he defected, my assessment is that this is a man who is thoughtful, who is clear-eyed about all of the different ways the Tories betrayed this country, and wants to help Nigel, help me, help Richard and everyone at Reform repair that damage.