Major Tory Defections Rock UK Government Ahead of Election

Major Tory Defections Rock UK Government Ahead of Election A wave of high-profile defections is tearing apart Britain's governing Conservative Party, as senior politicians abandon it for a rival right-wing movement just weeks before a national election. Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, the party's former top law-and-order minister, has joined the populist Reform UK party, marking the third major Conservative departure in under a month [59450]. In a scathing indictment of her former colleagues, Braverman accused the Conservatives of having "lied" to the public about reducing immigration [59365]. Her move is a severe blow to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and signals deep internal turmoil as the party faces a difficult general election on July 4th [59450]. Braverman, a controversial figure known for her strong views on immigration, stated she felt "like I've come home" upon joining Reform UK [59322]. The series of defections threatens to split the center-right vote, which analysts say could hand a decisive advantage to the opposition Labour Party [59450]. Reform UK, led by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, advocates for significantly reduced immigration and often criticizes "woke" culture, positioning itself to attract traditional Conservative supporters [59450][59322]. In response to the crisis, two other former Conservative cabinet ministers have launched a new political movement called "Prosper UK," aiming to pull the party back toward the political center and counter Reform UK's growing influence [59341]. The founders argue that a strong, moderate center-right movement is essential for stable government [59341]. Opinion polls currently show Reform UK leading both the Conservatives and Labour, upending over a century of political dominance by the two larger parties [59365]. The defections have dramatically increased pressure on Prime Minister Sunak, highlighting the profound divisions within his party as it heads to the polls [59322]. Ex-British Minister Joins Far-Right Party, Rocking Conservatives Ex-Home Secretary Joins Rival, Says Conservatives "Lied" on Immigration Ex-Minister Joins Rival: Braverman Defects to Populist Reform UK Tory Titans Strike Back: New Movement Aims to "Save" Conservative Party