'We're the Spartans of politics'

Dame Andrea Jenkyns is at the vanguard of what could be one of the greatest transformations in UK politics. And having left the Tories for Reform UK she firmly believes Labour can be ousted after one term, with Nigel Farage moving into No10 Downing Street

- By David Williamson

DAME Andrea Jenkyns delivered one of the biggest shocks of the 2015 general election when she ousted Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls and knocked a brick out of Labour's Red Wall.

The former Miss UK finalist, who once worked at her local branch of Greggs, sent the Oxford and Harvard-educated Labour titan packing.

But fast-forward 10 tumultuous years and the veteran Brexiteer has changed parties and is now fighting to become the first mayor for Greater Lincolnshire.

She is also trying to persuade traditional Tory voters in all parts of the country her new party is now the home of true conservatives. And if she succeeds then Kemi Badenoch will have good reason to worry.

"I feel I'm in the real conservative party with Reform and I've never felt more alive, more buzzing," she enthuses.

"And I really do believe Nigel will become our Prime Minister."

And she says that as she pounds the pavement today, voters have a similar message to the one she was hearing in the days before she famously beat Mr Balls.

Dame Andrea, 50, said: "They want change. They don't want the status quo."

It reminds her of the energy which defined both the 2016 Brexit referendum campaign and the election battle which led to Boris Johnson's landslide.

"Do you remember the 2019 election?" she asks. "That euphoria? That positivity? It feels like that again. I feel alive." The defence of free speech is a priority for her: "That's why we need people like Nigel Farage. Only he can save Britain.

"When I defected I said I'm joining the party of the brave. I really feel that. These are the Spartans of the political world."

Back in 2015 she was an icon for a resurgent Conservative Party.