Laura Kuenssberg Says The Quiet Part Out Loud About The Tories After Latest Reform Defection

Laura Kuenssberg put a senior Tory on the spot with the obvious question behind the high number of politicians leaving the Conservatives and joining Reform UK this morning.

Nigel Farage’s party announced they had secured another defection from the Tories on Saturday after Lord Malcolm Offord declared he had swapped parties.

He joined Reform’s rally in Scotland to declare that he had become the party’s first ever member of the House of Lords.

However, he did also announce at the weekend that he was going to stand down from the Lords and campaign as a Reform candidate in the 2026 Holyrood elections.

The move comes as a major blow to the Tories considering he was the serving Treasurer of the Scottish Conservatives and sat on the Lords front bench from 2021 until 2024.

He was also the party spokesman in the Lords on energy until his resignation.

He is just the latest in a long line of Conservatives – including former ministers and MPs – to sign up to Farage’s party.

So on her BBC show, Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, the presenter asked the Tories’ shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whateley a crucial question – which she failed to answer.

The presenter said: “Why can’t you keep people in your party?”

The Tory MP replied: “I know people are angry and frustrated about things that happened when we were in government, particularly during the pandemic –”

“Hang on – this is one of your own people here choosing to buddy up with Nigel Farage,” Kuenssberg pointed out.

Whateley said what Reform is offering is different to what the Conservatives are offering, insisting the Tories recognise the “seriousness” of the problems facing the UK right now.

“We have a plan. Nigel Farage does not,” she said.

Offord told the rally: “I am delighted to join Reform UK Scotland. We have an important election coming up in May next year.

“Scotland is crying out for a centre-right narrative to make the country prosperous once again. Scotland needs Reform and Reform is coming to Scotland.”

Farage also told his supporters he was “delighted to welcome Malcolm to Reform”, adding: “This is a brave and historic act. He will take Reform UK Scotland to a new level.”