Who’s Defected to Reform UK?
Danny Kruger (16 September 2025)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: MP
Short bio: MP for East Wilshire also served as political secretary to Boris Johnson in 2019 and parliamentary private secretary to the housing secretary (Gove) in 2022.
Media coverage: Guardian
Adam Holloway (31 July 2025)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: Former MP for Gravesham (2005–2024); former Government Whip
Short bio: Nearly 20-year Conservative MP who announced he was joining Reform UK after losing his seat in 2024, saying Reform were “the only people who are serious” about the UK’s problems.
Media coverage: ITV News Meridian
Thomas Montgomery (23 July 2025)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: Councillor, Conwy County Borough
Short bio: One of two Conwy Conservatives to join Reform UK on 23 July 2025.
Media coverage: ITV News
Louise Emery (23 July 2025)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: Councillor, Conwy County Borough
Short bio: Joined Reform UK alongside Cllr Thomas Montgomery in Conwy.
Media coverage: ITV News
Sir Jake Berry (9 July 2025)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: Former MP for Rossendale & Darwen; former Conservative Party Chairman (2022)
Short bio: Long-time Tory MP (2010–2024) and ex-party chair who announced his defection to Reform UK on 9 July 2025, citing loss of Conservative principles and praising Reform as the real opposition.
Media coverage: The Guardian
David Jones (7 July 2025)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: Former MP for Clwyd West; former Secretary of State for Wales (2012–2014)
Short bio: Ex-cabinet minister who left the Conservatives and joined Reform UK in July 2025, saying Reform best reflected his views after becoming disillusioned with the Tories.
Media coverage: The Telegraph
Anne Marie Morris (2 July 2025)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: Former MP for Newton Abbot (2010–2024)
Short bio: Announced she had joined Reform UK and would lead on social care policy for the party.
Media coverage: The Guardian
Ross Thomson (24–25 June 2025)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: Former MP for Aberdeen South (2017–2019); former MSP
Short bio: Confirmed in late June 2025 that he had joined Reform UK, arguing the party had the answers to issues facing Scotland and the UK.
Media coverage: Press & Journal (24 Jun 2025) | The Spectator (25 Jun 2025)
Andrew Barry (10 June 2025)
Previous party: Independent
Position: Councillor, Merthyr Tydfil
Short bio: Announced on stage by Nigel Farage as a Merthyr defection to Reform.
Media coverage: ITV News
David Hughes (10 June 2025)
Previous party: Independent
Position: Councillor, Merthyr Tydfil
Short bio: Joined Reform UK alongside Andrew Barry (Merthyr).
Media coverage: Merthyr Express
Jamie McGuire (2 June 2025)
Previous party: Labour
Position: Councillor, Renfrewshire (Renfrew North & Braehead)
Short bio: First known Labour councillor to defect to Reform in Scotland.
Media coverage: STV News
Claire Mackie-Brown (12 March 2025)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: Councillor, Falkirk (Upper Braes)
Short bio: Council record shows party as Reform UK from 12 March 2025.
Media coverage: Falkirk Council
Karl Lewis (7 March 2025)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: Councillor, Powys (Llandinam with Dolfor)
Short bio: One of four Powys councillors to join Reform UK in March 2025.
Media coverage: Shropshire Star
Iain McIntosh (7 March 2025)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: Councillor, Powys (Yscir with Honddu Isaf and Llanddew)
Short bio: Powys Conservative who defected to Reform UK with colleagues in March 2025.
Media coverage: Ground News
Geoff Morgan (7 March 2025)
Previous party: Independent
Position: Councillor, Powys (Ithon Valley)
Short bio: Independent councillor among the Powys quartet joining Reform UK.
Media coverage: All About Newtown
Claire Jonson-Wood (7 March 2025)
Previous party: Independent
Position: Councillor, Powys (Llanyre with Nantmel)
Short bio: Independent councillor who joined Reform UK with three Powys colleagues.
Media coverage: All About Newtown
John Gray (6 March 2025)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: Councillor, Renfrewshire (Renfrew North & Braehead)
Short bio: One of two Scottish Tory councillors to defect the same day.
Media coverage: STV News
Ross Lambie (6 March 2025)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: Councillor, South Lanarkshire (Clydesdale South)
Short bio: Defected from Scottish Conservatives to Reform UK.
Media coverage: Holyrood Magazine
Andrea Jenkyns (28 November 2024)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: former Tory MP and minister, now Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire
Short bio: Ex. minister under Boris Johnson and ex. MP for Morley and Outwood stood and won the Greater Lincolnshire mayoralty for Reform UK
Media coverage: Politico
David Thomas (19 August 2024)
Previous party: Independent (ex-Labour)
Position: Councillor, Torfaen (Llantarnam) — Reform group leader
Short bio: Helped form Wales’ first Reform council group.
Media coverage: Cwmbran Life
Alan Slade (19 August 2024)
Previous party: Independent
Position: Councillor, Torfaen (Llantarnam)
Short bio: One of three Torfaen independents who switched to Reform UK.
Media coverage: Cwmbran Life
Jason O’Connell (19 August 2024)
Previous party: Independent
Position: Councillor, Torfaen (Llantarnam)
Short bio: Joined Reform UK with fellow Llantarnam councillors Thomas and Slade.
Media coverage: Cwmbran Life
Jeff Bray (18 June 2024)
Previous party: Independent (ex-Conservative)
Position: Councillor, Tendring DC (Little Clacton); Leader, Reform UK Group
Short bio: One of four councillors who joined Reform to form the council group.
Media coverage: Tendring District Council
Nick Turner (18 June 2024)
Previous party: Independent (ex-Conservative)
Position: Councillor, Tendring DC (Frinton)
Short bio: Part of the four-member Tendring move creating Reform’s group on the council.
Media coverage: Wikipedia
Richard Everett (18 June 2024)
Previous party: Independent (ex-Conservative)
Position: Councillor, Tendring DC (Frinton)
Short bio: Joined Reform alongside Turner, Bray and Codling.
Media coverage: Open Council Data
James (Jim) Codling (18 June 2024)
Previous party: Independent (ex-Conservative)
Position: Councillor, Tendring DC (Bluehouse)
Short bio: Completed the quartet of Tendring councillors forming Reform’s group.
Media coverage: Open Council Data
Lee Anderson (11 March 2024)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: MP for Ashfield
Short bio: Ex-Tory deputy chair; became Reform UK’s first MP after defection.
Media coverage: AP News
Maria Bowtell (1 March 2024)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: Councillor, East Riding of Yorkshire (Bridlington Central & Old Town)
Short bio: East Riding councillor who left the Conservatives to join Reform UK.
Media coverage: Scarborough News
Barry Gwilt (26 January 2023)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: Councillor, Lichfield (Fazeley ward)
Short bio: Early local defection to Reform UK ahead of the 2023 locals.
Media coverage: Express & Star
David White — reported (18 December 2022)
Previous party: Conservative
Position: Councillor, Barnsley (Darfield) — reported
Short bio: Guardian report of a Barnsley councillor defecting to Reform in late 2022.
Media coverage: The Guardian