Former British Home Secretary Suella Braverman has made a bold move by defecting to Reform UK, becoming the 27th former Conservative MP to join Nigel Farage’s party. Braverman, a right-winger, announced her decision at a press conference today, stating that she finally feels like she has come home.
In her speech, Braverman highlighted the issues that she believes are plaguing the UK, including out of control immigration, struggling public services, and a lack of safety for citizens. She also expressed concern over the country’s weak standing on the world stage and the fact that many young people are leaving in search of better opportunities elsewhere.
According to Braverman, the UK stands at a crossroads and must make a choice between continued decline or taking action to fix the country and reclaim its power and strength. She firmly believes that a better Britain is possible, and her decision to join Reform UK is a step towards achieving that goal.
Braverman’s defection comes less than two weeks after former shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick also joined Reform UK. He was followed shortly by another Tory right-winger, Andrew Rosindell. Other notable former Conservatives who have made the switch include Nadhim Zahawi, Jake Berry, and Andrea Jenkyns.
Interestingly, Braverman’s own husband, Rael, had joined Reform UK a year ago but left in July of last year. This move came after former party chair Zia Yusuf and party leader Nigel Farage criticized Braverman and Jenrick for allowing thousands of Afghans into the UK while they were in the Home Office together.
Last summer, a Reform source revealed that Braverman would not be welcome in their party due to her reputation as a “disruptive” and “non-team player.” However, it seems that her strong stance on issues such as immigration and her unwavering belief in a more right-leaning Conservative party have made her a valuable asset to Reform UK.
During her time in government, Braverman was known for her controversial immigration policies, including the plan to deport “illegal” asylum seekers to Rwanda. She also famously referred to homelessness as a “lifestyle choice” and labeled the left as the “tofu-eating wokerati.”
Braverman consistently pushed for the Conservative party to move further to the right and held ministerial roles under Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak. However, she had to resign from Truss’s government after being found to have broken the ministerial code by emailing a cabinet document through her personal email address. She was later brought back into the Home Office under Sunak.
Even from the backbenches, Braverman continued to make headlines with her controversial statements. In February of last year, she declared that she would never be truly English because her parents, both British citizens, were part of the Indian diaspora and born outside of the UK. She also warned that Britain could fall into the hands of Muslim fundamentalism and become like Iran, claiming that the UK could become the first Islamist nation with nuclear weapons.
Braverman’s support for right-wing ideologies was evident when she joined the exodus of right-wingers who attended Trump’s swearing-in ceremony last year, even donning a Make America Great Again cap. She also ran for Tory leader in 2024 but lost to Kemi Badenoch.
The defection of Braverman and other former Conservative MPs to Reform UK has caused a stir within the party. A Tory spokesman stated that it was only a matter of time before Braverman defected and that the party had tried to support her mental health. However, it seems that her personal ambition has driven her to make this decision.
The spokesman also pointed out that Braverman had previously run for Tory leader in 2022 and came in sixth place, behind Kemi Badenoch and Tom Tugendhat. In the 2024 leadership race, she failed to gather enough support to even make it onto the ballot. It seems that she is now trying her luck with Nigel Farage, who had previously stated that he did not want her in Reform UK. The Tory spokesman humorously remarked that they are happy to let Reform UK do their “spring cleaning.”
Braverman’s defection to Reform UK has certainly caused a stir in the political landscape, and only time will tell how this move will affect both parties. However, one thing is
