Daily Politics from the New Statesman What happens when an MP defects?
Jan 23, 2026
Listeners' questions drive a deep dive into Robert Jenrick's dramatic defection and the leaked draft that sparked it. They explore whether aides follow MPs who switch parties and how parliamentary colleagues reacted. The discussion covers Reform's hopes to supplant the Conservatives, internal economic tensions, and how the party mixes populism with Thatcherite ideas. Cannabis legalization and its fiscal and policing trade-offs also come up.
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Staffers Followed Jenrick
- Robert Jenrick took a team of young staffers with him when he defected to Reform, putting their careers on the line.
- Ethan Croft notes staffers face a hard choice between loyalty to their boss and practicality of keeping a job.
Defectors Face Public Marginalisation
- MPs who defect often find themselves physically marginalized in Parliament and face visible personal rejection.
- Ethan Croft describes Jenrick standing at PMQs and being largely ignored by former colleagues.
Personal Breaks Make Deals Harder
- Jenrick's defection has created deep personal animosities that make a future Conservative–Reform electoral pact harder.
- Ethan Croft argues Reform's explicit aim to destroy the Conservatives increases the likelihood of electoral clashes rather than cooperation.
