"Nadine Dorries joins Reform, declares Conservative party 'dead'"

Nadine Dorries Joins Reform, Declaring the Conservative Party "Dead"

Nadine Dorries has switched allegiance to Reform, announcing her departure from the Conservatives just before the party’s conference. She stated that the Tory party “is dead.”

A former cabinet minister under Boris Johnson, Dorries served as culture secretary until 2022 before stepping down a year later after being denied a peerage.

Speaking to *CuriosityNews* about her decision, she said: “The Tory party is dead. Its members must now consider the unthinkable and focus on what lies ahead.”

Following months of undisclosed discussions held at a London club, Dorries claimed the Conservatives had abandoned her and that her principles now aligned more closely with Reform’s.

She is the third former cabinet minister to join Reform recently, alongside ex-party chair Jake Berry and former Welsh secretary David Jones. Other former Tory MPs who have defected include Andrea Jenkyns, now Reform mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, Marco Longhi, and Adam Holloway. Lee Anderson, who previously served as Tory vice-chair, also switched to Reform in the last parliamentary term and was re-elected as an MP.

With Reform polling in double digits ahead of the Conservatives, more MPs—current and former—may consider crossing sides as the election nears, hoping to secure their political futures.

Farage remarked late Thursday: “I am thrilled to welcome Nadine Dorries to Reform. She is a highly accomplished politician, writer, and commentator and will significantly strengthen our campaign for the next general election.”

A Labour spokesperson suggested Dorries played a role in the Conservative party's decline, stating: “She stood by Boris Johnson through every controversy, even as No. 10 held gatherings during lockdown while the public couldn’t visit loved ones. Now, having once championed online safety laws, she joins a party that wants to dismantle them without offering any alternative protections for adults or children. It’s a clear sign of Reform’s inconsistency.”

Dorries has strongly criticised the Conservatives’ handling of her career, detailing in her book *The Plot* what she viewed as a coordinated effort by figures like Michael Gove and Dominic Cummings to manipulate the party.

Her high-profile departure boosts Reform’s momentum before its Birmingham conference, where Farage will outline the party’s strategy Friday afternoon, following six months of strong polling.

Since last year’s conference, Reform’s membership has surged from 80,000 to nearly 240,000, while its polling support has climbed from 19% to 30%. The party has also gained 900 council seats across 12 local authorities. Business interest in the conference has grown significantly, as many now see Farage’s party as a potential future government.

Electoral Commission data revealed Thursday that Reform secured nearly £1m from former Conservative donors in the second quarter of the year.