Danny Kruger, Conservative MP for East Wiltshire, has formally defected to Reform UK. He is the first sitting Conservative front‐bench MP to join the insurgent right party. He was appointed as head of their new department of “preparing for government.”

Key Points from His Speech & Statement

At a press conference with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, Danny Kruger laid out a fierce critique of his former party. “Centrism is not enough. The Conservative Party is over, over as a national party, over as the principal opposition to the Left.”

Kruger said it was too late to save the Conservatives, even under a different leader such as Robert Jenrick, whom he supported in the last Tory leadership contest. He admitted the move was “personally painful,” citing his long history with the Conservative Party, local associations, and many friends in the party who will be dismayed.

He emphasised that Reform UK is now a government‑in‑waiting, signalling seriousness rather than just protest politics. Kruger also called on other conservatives disillusioned with the Tory Party to consider making the move.

Kruger’s Political Background & Beliefs

To understand the defection, it helps to trace what Kruger has stood for in the past, where his criticisms have come from, and how his values align with Reform UK.

Danny Kruger was elected MP for East Wiltshire in 2019. Previously, he worked within Conservative circles: as a speechwriter for David Cameron, and later in Boris Johnson’s administration. He co‑chaired a grouping called the New Conservatives in Parliament, a faction of MPs pushing for more right‑leaning, socially conservative policies.

Kruger has long been associated with cultural and social conservatism, as well as concerns about the direction of what he sees as “modern liberalism” or progressive orthodoxy.

• He has opposed assisted dying legislation, on moral and religious grounds.

• He has made statements defending the “normative family” (mother, father, children) as the basis for a safe and successful society.

• He has used phrases like “cultural Marxism,” expressed concern about the influence of what he sees as radical ideologies combining “Marxism and narcissism and paganism, self‑worship and nature‑worship.”

• On welfare and fiscal discipline, he has been wary of big government and large uncosted spending. For example, earlier he criticised Reform for seeming like they would spend “like drunken sailors.” He has since stated that the ability of Reform's Zia Yusuf has made him change his mind.

  
  

Implications for the Conservative Party

Kruger’s defection is not just a personal move, it has wider ramifications for the Tories, both politically and strategically. He is the first sitting Tory MP to make this jump to Reform UK. That sends a strong signal that for some within the party, change from within is no longer seen as viable. It bolsters Reform UK’s credibility: having a former conservative frontbencher joining gives them greater legitimacy in the eyes of voters who may have ditched the Tories but felt Reform was untested.

The defection intensifies internal pressure on Conservative leadership, especially Kemi Badenoch. She must contend not only with public criticism but with defections from senior or front‑bench members. It raises questions: Can the Tories re‑define themselves in a way that holds onto conservatives who are tempted by Reform? Do they try to move further right on issues like immigration, welfare, culture, or do they try shifting centre to regain broader appeal?

Kruger has openly encouraged colleagues who are unhappy to consider joining Reform. Whether others follow depends on how entrenched their views are and whether they believe Reform is a credible route to political power.

Wider Right‑Wing Realignment

Kruger’s move is part of a longer shift: socially conservative, nationalist, anti‑immigration themes have gained ground; voters disillusioned with traditional parties are looking for alternatives. Reform UK is trying to position itself as the standard‑bearer of such views.

For the Tories, this could mean that their base is slipping; either they accommodate more right‑wing positions more explicitly (risking alienating centrists), or they double down on trying to win back the centre (risking more drift and dissatisfaction on the right).

Danny Kruger’s defection to Reform UK is more than a personal move; it’s a signal of discontent within the Conservative base and an intensification of the challenge Reform poses. Whether this will lead to a genuine collapse of Conservative support or force serious change within the party depends on how both sides respond in terms of policy, leadership, and positioning.