Ex-Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson defects to Reform UK

Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson has defected to Reform UK, declaring: “I want my country back.”

The Ashfield MP was kicked out of the Conservative Party last month in an Islamophobia row.

He announced his switch to the Nigel Farage-linked right-wing populist party at a press conference alongside party leader Richard Tice in London on Monday.

Mr Anderson said: “I will start by saying I want my country back.

“Over the last year or so I’ve had to do a lot of soul searching on my political journey.

“I don’t expect much in politics other than to be able to speak my mind.”

He said that leads him to be “labelled as controversial,” but argued it is “not controversial to be concerned about immigration” or to “fight back in a culture war”.

Mr Anderson continued: “It is no secret that I’ve been talking to my friends in Reform for a while. And Reform UK has offered me the chance to speak out in Parliament on behalf of millions of people up and down the country who feel that they’re not being listened to.

“People will say that I’ve took a gamble. And I’m prepared to gamble on myself, as I know from my mailbag how many people in this country support Reform UK and what they have to say. And like millions of people up and down the country, all I want is my country back.”

Mr Tice said he had found a “champion of the Red Wall for Reform UK” in welcoming Mr Anderson to his party.

“He’s also coincidentally going to be Reform UK’s first Member of Parliament’s in the House of Commons.

“He is, of course, a person of great integrity, no nonsense, and is the Member of Parliament in the county of Nottinghamshire for Ashfield.”