Where does Lee Anderson go from here?

On Tuesday, ITV News Political Correspondent Harry Horton spoke to Lee Anderson, who continued to refuse to apologise for his comments on Sadiq Khan

The former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson says he has no regrets about his recent controversial comments, which resulted in him losing the Conservative Party whip.

The now independent MP for Ashfield told ITV News: “I've not done anything wrong.”

He added that he won’t apologise “even if I have to stand down or not stand at all” at the next election.

With Mr Anderson refusing to back down, it’s hard to see how the Conservative Party might restore the whip in time for a General Election later this year.

So where does he go from here?

When pressed by ITV News, Mr Anderson wouldn’t rule out joining Reform UK - the right-wing challengers presided over by Nigel Farage.

Mr Anderson also said - sarcastically - he wouldn’t rule out joining Labour or the Liberal Democrats, adding: "I'm not prepared to discuss my political journey beyond this week”.

Mr Anderson even remarked he would be prepared to “not stand” at all.

Later, in another interview, he insisted his name would be on the ballot paper “whatever happens”.

If Mr Anderson has a plan, he’s doing his best to make it appear as if he doesn’t.

GB News - the channel Mr Anderson is payed £100,000 a year to present for - reported on Tuesday that he held private "one to one" talks with Reform UK leader Richard Tice on Sunday.

ITV News Reporter Yasmin Bodalbhai takes an in-depth look at the life and career of Lee Anderson

Some Conservative MPs from the left of the party are delighted to see the back of him.

They cannot understand why Rishi Sunak appointed him as deputy chair of the Conservative Party in the first place, and feel the events of the past few days were always an inevitability.

But there are plenty of Tory MPs - particularly those from "red wall" constituencies - who think Sunak has badly misjudged the mood of the party and the public in punishing Anderson.

Friends of the Ashfield MP insist he’s unlikely to join Reform UK.

If he doesn’t find his way back into a political party soon, keeping hold of his seat will be a big task.

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