Tories consider six-month independent stint for returning Reform MPs
The Conservatives are considering a six-month “quarantine” for Reform UK MPs who want to return to the party, requiring them to sit as independents first. The plan could give former Tories a route back despite Kemi Badenoch’s public refusal to readmit defectors, while limiting the risk of them switching parties again.
Four of Reform’s eight MPs were elected as Conservatives in 2024: Robert Jenrick, Suella Braverman, Danny Kruger and Andrew Rosindell. Party officials have contacted potential returners, but the proposed period could be shortened if an early election is called; a Conservative spokesman dismissed the report.
- Tories are weighing a six-month return period for defectors.
- Four Reform MPs were elected as Conservatives in 2024.
- An early election could shorten the proposed timetable.
New here? Start with this
Reform UK and the Conservative Party are separate parties on the right of British politics. In the 2024 general election, some MPs who had previously been Conservatives were elected for Reform, including Robert Jenrick, Suella Braverman, Danny Kruger and Andrew Rosindell.
Kemi Badenoch leads the Conservatives, while Reform’s MPs sit in Parliament as members of their own party. A move between parties can affect a party’s numbers and influence in the Commons, and can raise questions about loyalty and how parties choose their candidates.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A six-month period sitting as an independent could let the Conservatives assess whether former MPs have genuinely changed their political course before restoring them to the party. It may also give voters and party members time to judge their conduct, while reducing the risk of another sudden defection and preserving a route back for politicians who share Conservative priorities.
The case against
Requiring former Conservative MPs to sit as independents could look like a procedural workaround that weakens a clear public commitment not to readmit defectors. It may leave voters uncertain about whom those MPs represent and allow party leaders to avoid making a transparent decision about trust, loyalty and political accountability.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Defectors ‘will be let back in after six-month quarantine’”.