Shadow minister Rosindell defects

Second Tory in days joins Reform

- BY ALLISTER HAGGER

A SECOND top Tory defected to Reform last night, days after Robert Jenrick’s departure.

Andrew Rosindell, MP for Romford, quit as a shadow minister to join Mr Jenrick in Nigel Farage’s party.

It means Reform UK now has seven MPs and comes after embattled Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said she was “100% confident” no more of her Shadow Cabinet would leave for their rivals.

A Reform UK source called Mr Rosindell’s defection “hugely embarrassing” for Ms Badenoch.