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Former home secretary Suella Braverman has spoken out about her husband Rael’s defection to Reform UK to quell speculation about her own future.
Mr Braverman is expected to become a senior campaigner for Nigel Farage’s party, defending farmers against Keir Starmer’s new inheritance tax raid.
But the move has again reopened speculation about Ms Braverman’s future in the Conservative Party. She was a leadership contender to replace Boris Johnson in 2022 and has been the darling of the right.
However, in a statement, Ms Braverman made it clear that, for now, she is not planning on defecting.
She said: “My husband and I have a healthy respect for each other’s independence – he doesn’t tell me how to do my job, and I don’t tell him how to pick a political party.”
With high-profile defections in the last week including former minister Dame Andrea Jenkyns, a former ally of Ms Braverman, and Conservative Home founder Tim Montgomerie, there are believed to be more preparing to walk away from the Tories to join Reform, including MPs.
It has been known for several months that Reform UK has been hoping the ex-home secretary, considered too right-wing for the Tories to run in the recent leadership election, would join its ranks.
A senior Reform UK source confirmed to The Independent that Rael Braverman has joined their party but added that “it is wrong” to say that his wife will follow.
However, the source added: “Of course we would love Suella to join us. She would find a much happier home in Reform than staying with the Tories.”
The defections and continued question marks over Kemi Badenoch’s fledgling leadership of the Tories coupled with a collapse in the polls for Labour has seen support for Reform surge. The recent Techne UK poll for The Independent put them up three points in just one week while others have them in second place.
