By Peter Omopo
Former Conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nadhim Zahawi, has defected to Reform UK, becoming the most senior former Tory figure to join Nigel Farage’s party to date.
Zahawi announced his decision on Monday at a press conference alongside Farage, saying the United Kingdom had reached what he described as a “dark and dangerous” moment and needed “a glorious revolution.” He cited concerns over free speech, mass migration, and what he called an over-powerful civil service and unelected public bodies as key reasons for leaving the Conservative Party.
The former MP, who served as chancellor for two months under Boris Johnson and held several senior cabinet positions between 2018 and 2023, said successive governments had failed to rein in bureaucracy and pass effective legislation, admitting he shared responsibility for what he termed “constitutional vandalism.”
Farage said Zahawi’s defection did not mean Reform UK was becoming “Conservatives 2.0,” insisting he had consistently opposed the Tory Party, particularly over Brexit. He added that several current Conservative MPs had expressed interest in joining Reform, though not all were being accepted.
The Conservative Party dismissed Zahawi’s move, describing Reform UK as “the party of has-been politicians looking for their next gravy train.” A party spokesman said Zahawi had previously criticised Farage and questioned his loyalty, adding that the Conservatives under Kemi Badenoch had a clear plan to revive the country.
Responding to the criticism, Zahawi said the Conservatives were burdened by “the baggage of a defunct brand.”
The move has also drawn sharp reactions from opposition parties. Labour Party chair Anna Turley described Zahawi as “a discredited and disgraced politician,” while Liberal Democrat MP Manuela Perteghella said Reform UK was becoming “a retirement home for disgraced former Conservative ministers.”
Zahawi was sacked as Conservative Party chairman in January 2023 by then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after an ethics investigation found he had breached ministerial rules by failing to properly disclose a tax investigation by HM Revenue and Customs. Addressing the issue, Zahawi said his mistake was not being sufficiently specific in his declarations, but insisted it should not prevent him from continuing public service.
Born in Iraq in 1967, Zahawi fled the country with his family and grew up in the UK. He previously served as vaccines minister during the Covid-19 pandemic, overseeing the rollout of the national vaccination programme.
Reform UK said Zahawi’s defection underscored the party’s growing appeal as it prepares for upcoming elections across the UK, while Farage predicted the Conservatives would soon “cease to be a national political party.”
