Danny Kruger MP: The Conservative Party is over

A CONSERVATIVE shadow minister who advised David Cameron and Boris Johnson has defected to Reform UK in a major coup for Nigel Farage.

- By Jonathan Walker

Danny Kruger became the first sitting Tory MP to make the switch, and declared that his former party is "over". He will lead a new taskforce to prepare Reform UK for power and advise future ministers in a potential Farage-led government how to deal with Parliament and the Civil Service.

Announcing his latest recruit, Mr Farage admitted Reform's "big weakness" is the lack of experience of government among his team.

But he said the process of preparing for power had begun with Mr Kruger's appointment.

Mr Kruger, an MP since 2019, had been a shadow Work and Pensions minister until his defection. He previously served as chief speechwriter to former Conservative leader David Cameron while in opposition and political secretary to Boris Johnson in government. He said his decision to quit the Tories was "personally painful", but he felt forced to act because the nation is "in crisis".

Mr Kruger, 50, said: "I hoped after our defeat last year that the Conservative Party would learn the obvious lesson.